Balanced vertex decomposable simplicial complexes and their \(h\)-vectors (Q396818)

Summary: Given any finite simplicial complex \(\Delta\), we show how to construct from a colouring \(\chi\) of \(\Delta\) a new simplicial complex \(\Delta_{\chi}\) that is balanced and vertex decomposable. In addition, the \(h\)-vector of \(\Delta_{\chi}\) is precisely the \(f\)-vector of \(\Delta\). Our construction generalizes the ``whiskering'' construction of \textit{R. H. Villarreal} [Manuscr. Math. 66, No. 3, 277--293 (1990; Zbl 0737.13003)], and \textit{D. Cook II} and \textit{U. Nagel} [SIAM J. Discrete Math. 26, No. 1, 89--101 (2012; Zbl 1245.05138)]. We also reverse this construction to prove a special case of a conjecture of Cook and Nagel [loc. cit.], and \textit{A. Constantinescu} and \textit{M. Varbaro} [Math. Scand. 112, No. 1, 86--111 (2013; Zbl 1272.13015)] on the \(h\)-vectors of flag complexes.