A new basis of polytopes

Gil Kalai*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Let P be a d-polytope. For a set of indices S = {1, i2, ..., ik}, 0 ≤ i1 < i2 < ... < ik ≤ d - 1, define a flag of type S to be a chain of faces of P of the form F1 ⊆ F2 ⊆ ... ⊆ Fk, where dim Fj = ij, for every j, 1 ≤ j ≤ k. The flag number fs(P) is the number of flags of type S of P. Put fø = 1. The sequence (fs(P)) as S ranges over all subsets of {;0, 1, ..., d-} (according to some fixed order) is called the flag vector of P. A remarkable recent theorem by Bayer and Billera asserts that the dimension of the real affine space spanned by flag vectors of d-polytopes is cd - 1, where cd is the dth Fibonacci number. We will construct a new family of d-polytopes whose flag vectors affinely span this space. As a consequence, we compute the dimensions of the affine span of flag vectors of several subclasses of d-polytopes. We show how the structure of intervals in face lattices of polytopes affects their flag numbers. Our proofs are by appropriate computations in the incidence algebra of face lattices of polytopes. We study also linear inequalities for the flag numbers and face numbers of d-polytopes, and discuss some connections with the new notion of h-vectors for arbitrary polytopes (R. Stanley, "Enumerative Combinatorics", Vol. I, Chap. 4, Wadsworth, Monterey, CA, 1986, and Generalized h-vectors, intersection cohomology of toric varieties, and related results, in "Proceedings, Japan-USA Workshop on Commutative Algebra and Combinatorics," to appear).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)191-209
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Combinatorial Theory. Series A
Volume49
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1988

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A new basis of polytopes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this