The combinatorics of alternative factorizations (Q1058566)

It is well known that an algebraic 3-fold does not admit, in general, a unique minimal model and this fact is connected with the existence of alternative factorizations of birational morphisms as a sequence of blowings up. In this paper the authors study such alternative factorizations for a special type of morphisms, giving a numerical evaluation. The proof is based on combinatorial methods, involving results of \textit{V. I. Danilov} [Math. USSR, Izv. 16, 419-429 (1981); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 44, 465-477 (1980; Zbl 0453.14004)].