On the 3-torsion part of the homology of the chessboard complex

DOI10.1007/S00026-011-0073-XMaRDI QIDQ659606zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Jakob Jonsson

Publication date 24 January 2012

Published in Annals of Combinatorics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1203.5644

zbMATH Keywords

chessboard complexlong exact sequencematching complexsimplicial homology

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Group actions on combinatorial structures (05E18) Combinatorial aspects of simplicial complexes (05E45) Homology and cohomology theories in algebraic topology (55N99) Simplicial sets and complexes in algebraic topology (55U10)

Abstract: Let $1lemlen$. We prove various results about the chessboard complex $M_{m,n}$, which is the simplicial complex of matchings in the complete bipartite graph $K_{m,n}$. First, we demonstrate that there is nonvanishing 3-torsion in $H_d(M_{m,n};Z)$ whenever $fracm+n-43ledlem-4$ and whenever $6lem<n$ and $d=m-3$. Combining this result with theorems due to Friedman and Hanlon and to Shareshian and Wachs, we characterize all triples $(m,n,d)$ satisfying $H_d(M_{m,n};Z)eq0$. Second, for each $kge0$, we show that there is a polynomial $f_k(a,b)$ of degree 3k such that the dimension of $H_{k+a+2b-2}(M_{k+a+3b-1,k+2a+3b-1};Z_3)$, viewed as a vector space over $Z_3$, is at most $f_k(a,b)$ for all $age0$ and $bgek+2$. Third, we give a computer-free proof that $H_2(M_{5,5};Z)cong{Z}_3$. Several proofs are based on a new long exact sequence relating the homology of a certain subcomplex of $M_{m,n}$ to the homology of $M_{m-2,n-1}$ and $M_{m-2,n-3}$.

Review text

The chessboard complex \(M_{m,n}\) is the simplicial complex of matchings in the complete bipartite graph \(K_{m,n}\). A \((p-1)\)-simplex corresponds to the placement of \(p\) nontaking rooks on an \(m\times n\) chessboard (each rook occupies an edge \((i,j)\), \(i \in \{1,\ldots,m\}\) and \(j \in \{1,\ldots,n\}\)). There is an important literature on the chessboard complex and, more generally, on matching complexes of graphs which is recalled in the paper under review. In particular, the determination of the integral homology groups remains a difficult question and, in [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 115, No. 8, 1504--1526 (2008; Zbl 1206.55010)], the author obtained results concerning the 3-torsion of the integral homology groups of the matching complex \(M_n\) (the simplicial complex of matchings in the complete graph \(K_{n}\)). In the present paper, he uses a similar approach for the study of the integer homology of chessboard complexes. By considering different long exact sequences involving various chessboard complexes, the author extends an earlier result of \textit{J. Shareshian} and \textit{M. L. Wachs} [Adv. Math. 212, No. 2, 525--570 (2007; Zbl 1117.05110)], by showing that \(\widetilde{H}_d(M_{m,m};\mathbb{Z})\) contains 3-torsion whenever \( (2m-4)/3 \leq d \leq m-4\) and \(\widetilde{H}_d(M_{m,n};\mathbb{Z})\) contains 3-torsion whenever \(m+1\leq n \leq 2m-5\) and \( (m+n-4)/3 \leq d \leq m-3\). He also characterizes non trivial homology groups : for \(1\leq m \leq n\), \(\widetilde{H}_d(M_{m,n};\mathbb{Z})\) is nonzero if, and only if, either \((m+n-4)/3 \leq d \leq m-2\), or \(d=m-1\) and \( n\geq m+1\). Another result provides an upper bound on the rank of the 3-torsion part by proving that, for \(m\leq n\leq 2m-5\) and \((m+n-4)/3\leq d\leq (2m+n-7)/4\), \[ \dim \widetilde{H}_d(M_{m,n};\mathbb{Z}_3)\leq f_{3d-m-n+4}(n-m,m-d-1) \] where \(f_k\) is a polynomial of degree \(3k\); this last result remains valid over any coefficient field. Finally, he obtains by a computer-free proof that \(\widetilde{H}_2(M_{5,5};\mathbb{Z})\cong \mathbb{Z}_3\).

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Cites work

• Chessboard Complexes and Matching Complexes
• Combinatorial Laplacian of the matching complex
• Complexes of not i-connected graphs
• Decompositions and connectivity of matching and chessboard complexes
• Exact sequences for the homology of the matching complex
• Five-torsion in the homology of the matching complex on 14 vertices
• Homology of certain sets of 2-subgroups of symmetric groups
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3235051 (Why is no real title available?)
• Matching complexes, bounded degree graph complexes, and weight spaces of \(\mathrm{GL}_n\)-complexes
• Minimal resolutions and the homology of matching and chessboard complexes
• More torsion in the homology of the matching complex
• On the Betti numbers of chessboard complexes
• Shellability of chessboard complexes
• Simplicial complexes of graphs
• Simplicial Complexes of Graphs and Hypergraphs with a Bounded Covering Number
• Topology of matching, chessboard, and general bounded degree graph complexes
• Torsion in the matching complex and chessboard complex

Cited in

(11)

• Five-torsion in the homology of the matching complex on 14 vertices
• On the Betti numbers of chessboard complexes
• 3-torsion in the homology of complexes of graphs of bounded degree
• More torsion in the homology of the matching complex
• Chessboard Complexes and Matching Complexes
• Generalized chessboard complexes and discrete Morse theory
• On the h-vectors of chessboard complexes
• Chessboard complexes indomitable
• The graph minor theorem in topological combinatorics
• Torsion in the matching complex and chessboard complex
• Exact sequences for the homology of the matching complex

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