Cohen-Macaulay oriented graphs with large girth (Q7008708)

Let \((D, E)\) be an oriented graph with vertex set \(V(D) = \{1, \ldots, n\}\) and edge set \(E(D)\). Let \(w: V(D) \to \mathbb{Z}_+\) be a weight function on the vertices of \(D\). The edge ideal of \(D\) is defined by\N\[\NI(D) = (x_i x_j^{w(j)} \mid (i, j) \in E(D)) \subseteq \mathrm{k}[x_1, \ldots, x_n].\N\]\NWe assume that the weight function \(w\) satisfies the condition that \(w(i) = 1\) for every source vertex \(i\) of \(D\).\N\N\textit{Y. Pitones} et al. [Electron. J. Comb. 26, No. 3, Research Paper P3.44, 18 p. (2019; Zbl 1419.05099)] conjectured that \(I(D)\) is Cohen-Macaulay if and only if \(G\), the underlying undirected graph associated with \(D\), is Cohen-Macaulay and \(I(D)\) is unmixed. This conjecture was disproved by \textit{S. A. Seyed Fakhari} et al. [Commun. Algebra 49, No. 10, 4249--4257 (2021; Zbl 1475.13040)]. Nonetheless, determining for which classes of graphs the conjecture holds remains an important open problem. It is known to hold for chordal graphs, as shown by \textit{K. Saha} [Arch. Math. 122, No. 6, 591--597 (2024; Zbl 1547.13027)], and for very well-covered graphs, as shown by \textit{Y. Pitones} et al. [Stud. Sci. Math. Hung. 58, No. 3, 276--292 (2021; Zbl 1499.13063)].\N\NIn the current paper, the authors prove that the conjecture holds for the class of graphs with girth at least \(5\). They also conjecture that the statement remains true for graphs of girth \(4\). Furthermore, the authors provide explicit conditions on the weights for which \(I(D)\) is unmixed when \(G\) has girth at least \(5\). Their approach relies on the structure theorem for well-covered graphs of girth at least \(5\) by \textit{A. Finbow} et al. [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 57, No. 1, 44--68 (1993; Zbl 0777.05088)] and a detailed analysis of the case of unmixed weighted oriented \(5\)-cycles.