Balanced triangulations on few vertices and an implementation of cross-flips (Q5919625)

Summary: A \(d\)-dimensional simplicial complex is balanced if the underlying graph is \((d+1)\)-colorable. We present an implementation of cross-flips, a set of local moves introduced by \textit{I. Izmestiev} et al. [Adv. Math. 320, 82--114 (2017; Zbl 1372.05237)] which connect any two PL-homeomorphic balanced combinatorial manifolds. As a result we exhibit a vertex minimal balanced triangulation of the real projective plane, of the dunce hat and of the real projective space, as well as several balanced triangulations of surfaces and 3-manifolds on few vertices. In particular we construct small balanced triangulations of the 3-sphere that are non-shellable and shellable but not vertex decomposable.