Enriched homology and cohomology modules of simplicial complexes

Abstract: For a simplicial complex X on {1,2, ..., n} we define enriched homology and cohomology modules. They are graded modules over k[x_1, ..., x_n] whose ranks are equal to the dimensions of the reduced homology and cohomology groups. We characterize Cohen-Macaulay, l-Cohen-Macaulay, Buchsbaum, and Gorenstein* complexes X, and also orientable manifolds in terms of the enriched modules. We introduce the notion of girth for simplicial complexes and make a conjecture relating the girth to invariants of the simplicial complex. We also put strong vanishing conditions on the enriched homology modules and describe the simplicial complexes we then get. They are block designs and include Steiner systems S(c,d,n) and cyclic polytopes of even dimension.

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Given a simplicial complex \(\Delta\) on \([n]=\{1,\ldots,n\}\) and a field \(k\), the augmented oriented chain complex \(\widetilde{C}(\Delta;k)\), consisting of \(k\)-vector spaces, is a well-known object in combinatorial commutative algebra. From this complex one defines reduced homology and cohomology groups \(\widetilde{H}_i(\Delta;k)\) and \(\widetilde{H}^i(\Delta;k)\). This paper introduces and studies the so-called \textit{enriched homology} groups \textbf{H}\(_i(\Delta;k)\) as the homology of a certain complex \(\mathcal{L}(\Delta;k)\). The latter complex consists of free modules over \(S=k[x_1,\ldots,x_n]\), and it is defined in a way similar to \(\widetilde{C}(\Delta;k)\). There is also a notion of enriched cohomology. In Section 1 it is proved that the \(S\)-module rank of \textbf{H}\(_i(\Delta;k)\) equals the \(k\)-vector space dimension of \(\widetilde{H}_i(\Delta;k)\); and also how the groups \textbf{H}\(^i(\Delta;k)\) relate to local cohomology of the Stanley-Reisner ring \(k[\Delta]\). Furthermore, enriched homology and cohomology are applied to give characterizations of when \(\Delta\) is Cohen-Macaulay or Buchsbaum. The focus of Section 2 is relations between \(l\)-Cohen-Macaulay simplicial complexes \(\Delta\), as introduced by Baclawski, and the \textit{girth} of \(\Delta\), as introduced by the author (when \(\Delta\) is a graph, the girth of \(\Delta\) is the length of a cycle of minimal length). In Section 3, \textit{Gorenstein\(^*\)} simplicial complexes \(\Delta\) (this means that \(k[\Delta]\) is Gorenstein and that \(\Delta\) is not a cone) are investigated. It is proved that when \(\Delta\) is Gorenstein\(^*\), then \textbf{H}\(_i(\Delta;k)\) and \textbf{H}\(_{\text{dim}\Delta-1-i}(\Delta;k)\) are Alexander dual square free modules. Section 4 defines and studies \textit{\(l\)-CM design} simplicial complexes \(\Delta\), which by the author's Theorem 4.4 can be characterized in terms of the girth of \(\Delta\) and appropriate vanishing of the enriched homology of \(\Delta\). It is also proved that \(l\)-CM designs are block designs. In the final Section 5, the author poses a number of problems and conjectures relevant to the results proved in the previous sections.

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