Discrete Morse theory for totally non-negative flag varieties

Algebraic combinatorics (05E99) Classical problems, Schubert calculus (14N15) Linear algebraic groups over the reals, the complexes, the quaternions (20G20) Semialgebraic sets and related spaces (14P10) Homogeneous spaces and generalizations (14M17) Homology and homotopy of topological groups and related structures (57T99)

Abstract: In a seminal 1994 paper, Lusztig extended the theory of total positivity by introducing the totally non-negative part (G/P)_{geq 0} of an arbitrary (generalized, partial) flag variety G/P. He referred to this space as a "remarkable polyhedral subspace", and conjectured a decomposition into cells, which was subsequently proven by the first author. Subsequently the second author made the concrete conjecture that this cell decomposed space is the next best thing to a polyhedron, by conjecturing it to be a regular CW complex that is homeomorphic to a closed ball. In this article we use discrete Morse theory to prove this conjecture up to homotopy-equivalence. Explicitly, we prove that the boundaries of the cells are homotopic to spheres, and the closures of cells are contractible. The latter part generalizes a result of Lusztig's that (G/P)_{geq 0} -- the closure of the top-dimensional cell -- is contractible. Concerning our result on the boundaries of cells, even the special case that the boundary of the top-dimensional cell (G/P)_{> 0} is homotopic to a sphere, is new for all G/P other than projective space.

Recommendations

Cites work

Cited in

(17)

This page was built for publication: Discrete Morse theory for totally non-negative flag varieties

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q962137)