New non-linear inequalities for flag-vectors of 4-polytopes (Q878390)

The flag-vector of a (convex) polytope counts the numbers of incidences among families of its faces with given dimensions. Even in four dimensions, the problem of classifying all possible sequences \((f_0,f_1,f_2,f_3)\) of numbers \(f_j\) of \(j\)-faces of \(4\)-polytopes is still open; hence, so is the corresponding problem of classifying all their possible flag-vectors. The equations governing them are well known, and some inequalities were found by \textit{M. Bayer} [J.\ Comb.\ Theory, Ser.\ A 44, 141--151 (1987; Zbl 0618.52005)]. In this paper, the present author presents four new infinite lists of quadratic inequalities, and four cubic inequalities for these flag-vectors. Using these, the author improves a bound for \(f_1\) in terms of \(f_0\) and \(f_3\) due to \textit{A. Höppner} and \textit{G. M. Ziegler} [Polytopes -- combinatorics and computation, Birkhäuser, DMV Semin. 29, 105--110 (2000; Zbl 0966.52008)].