arXiv subjects

Patricia Hersh

Publications and source records attributed to Patricia Hersh.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Extended Weak Order for the Rank 3 Universal Coxeter Group

The weak order is a classical poset structure on a Coxeter group; it is a lattice when the group is finite but merely a meet-semilattice when the group is infinite. Motivated by problems in Kazhdan--Lusztig theory, Matthew Dyer introduced the extended weak order, a poset that contains a copy of the weak order as an order ideal, and he conjectured that the extended weak order for any Coxeter group is a lattice. We prove Dyer's conjecture for the rank $3$ universal Coxeter group. This is the first non-spherical, non-affine Coxeter group for which Dyer's conjecture has been proven.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Stability and ribbon bases for the rank-selected homology of geometric lattices

This paper analyzes the representation theoretic stability, in the sense of Thomas Church and Benson Farb, of the rank-selected homology of the Boolean lattice and the partition lattice, proving sharp uniform representation stability bounds in both cases. It proves a conjecture of the first author and Reiner by giving the sharp stability bound for general rank sets for the partition lattice. Along the way, a new homology basis sharing useful features with the polytabloid basis for Specht modules is introduced for the rank-selected homology and for the rank-selected Whitney homology of any geometric lattice, resolving an old open question of Björner. These bases give a matroid theoretic analogue of Specht modules.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Poset topology, moves, and Bruhat interval polytope lattices

We study the poset topology of lattices arising from orientations of 1-skeleta of directionally simple polytopes, with Bruhat interval polytopes $Q_{e,w}$ as our main example. We show that the order complex $Δ((u,v)_w)$ of an interval therein is homotopy equivalent to a sphere if $Q_{u,v}$ is a face of $Q_{e,w}$ and is otherwise contractible. This significantly generalizes the known case of the permutahedron. We also show that saturated chains from $u$ to $v$ in such lattices are connected, and in fact highly connected, under moves corresponding to flipping across a 2-face. When $w$ is a Grassmannian permutation, this implies a strengthening of the restriction of Postnikov's move-equivalence theorem to the class of BCFW bridge decomposable plabic graphs.

math.CO↗

arXiv2024

Fibers of maps to totally nonnegative spaces

This paper undertakes a study of the structure of the fibers of the Chevalley exponentiation maps $f_{(i_1,\dots ,i_d)}$. The fibers of these maps $f_{(i_1,\dots ,i_d)}$ encode the nonnegative real relations amongst exponentiated Chevalley generators. Our main theorems show that the fibers admit cell stratifications, that these cell stratifications have the same face posets as interior dual block complexes of subword complexes, and that these posets are contractible. We conjecture that each such fiber is a regular CW complex homeomorphic to the interior dual block complex of a subword complex. This conjecture is shown to have as a corollary a new proof of the Fomin-Shapiro Conjecture by way of general topological results regarding approximating maps by homeomorphisms.

math.CO↗

arXiv2024

Shellability of face posets of electrical networks and the CW poset property

We prove a conjecture of Thomas Lam that the face posets of stratified spaces of planar resistor networks are shellable. These posets are called uncrossing partial orders. This shellability result combines with Lam's previous result that these same posets are Eulerian to imply that they are CW posets, namely that they are face posets of regular CW complexes. Certain subsets of uncrossing partial orders are shown to be isomorphic to type A Bruhat order intervals; our shelling is shown to coincide on these intervals with a Bruhat order shelling which was constructed by Matthew Dyer using a reflection order. Our shelling for uncrossing posets also yields an explicit shelling for each interval in the face posets of the edge product spaces of phylogenetic trees, namely in the Tuffley posets, by virtue of each interval in a Tuffley poset being isomorphic to an interval in an uncrossing poset. This yields a more explicit proof of the result of Gill, Linusson, Moulton and Steel that the CW decomposition of Moulton and Steel for the edge product space of phylogenetic trees is a regular CW decomposition.

math.CO↗

arXiv2024

Generalized recursive atom ordering and equivalence to CL-shellability

Björner and Wachs introduced CL-shellability as a technique for studying the topological structure of order complexes of partially ordered sets (posets). They also introduced the notion of recursive atom ordering, and they proved that a finite bounded poset is CL-shellable if and only if it admits a recursive atom ordering. In this paper, a generalization of the notion of recursive atom ordering is introduced. A finite bounded poset is proven to admit such a generalized recursive atom ordering if and only if it admits a traditional recursive atom ordering. This is also proven equivalent to admitting a CC-shelling (a type of shelling introduced by Kozlov) with a further property called self-consistency. Thus, CL-shellability is proven equivalent to self-consistent CC-shellability. As an application, the uncrossing posets, namely the face posets for stratified spaces of planar electrical networks, are proven to be dual CL-shellable.

math.CO↗

arXiv2024

Diameter bound for facet-ridge incidence graphs of geometric lattices

This paper proves that the facet-ridge incidence graph of the order complex of any finite geometric lattice of rank $r$ has diameter at most ${r \choose 2}$. A key ingredient is the well-known fact that every ordering of the atoms of any finite geometric lattice gives rise to a lexicographic shelling of its order complex. The paper also gives results that provide some evidence that this bound ought to be sharp as well as examples indicating that the question of sharpness is quite subtle.

math.CO↗

arXiv2023

Posets arising as 1-skeleta of simple polytopes, the nonrevisiting path conjecture, and poset topology

Given any polytope $P$ and any generic linear functional ${\bf c} $, one obtains a directed graph $G(P,{\bf c})$ from the 1-skeleton of $P$ by orienting each edge $e(u,v)$ from $u$ to $v$ for ${\bf c} (u) < {\bf c} ( v)$. For $P$ a simple polytope and $G(P,{\bf c})$ the Hasse diagram of a lattice $L$, the join of any collection $S$ of elements which all cover a common element $u$ in $L$ is proven to equal the sink of the smallest face of $P$ containing $u$ and all of the elements of $S$. The author conjectures for such $G(P,{\bf c})$ that no directed path in $G(P,{\bf c})$ ever revisits any facet of $P$. This would imply for such $P$ and ${\bf c}$ that the simplex method for linear programming is efficient under all possible pivot rules. This conjecture is proven for 3-polytopes and for spindles. For simple polytopes in which $G(P,{\bf c})$ is the Hasse diagram of a lattice $L$, the order complex of each open interval in $L$ is proven homotopy equivalent to a ball or a sphere. Applications are given to the weak Bruhat order, the Tamari lattice, and the Cambrian lattices. This paper concludes with an appendix by Dominik Preußproving the monotone Hirsch conjecture for $P$ a simple polytope and $G(P,{\bf c})$ the Hasse diagram of a lattice. This confirms one of the main consequences that the author's conjecture would have.

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

On optimizing discrete Morse functions

Forman introduced discrete Morse theory as a tool for studying CW complexes by essentially collapsing them onto smaller, simpler-to-understand complexes of critical cells in [Fo]. Chari reformulated discrete Morse theory for regular cell complexes in terms of acyclic matchings on face posets in [Ch]. This paper addresses two questions: (1) under what conditions may several gradient paths in a discrete Morse function simultaneously be reversed to cancel several pairs of critical cells, to further collapse the complex, and (2) how to use lexicographically first reduced expressions for permutations (in the sense of [Ed]) to make (1) practical for poset order complexes. Applications include Cohen-Macaulayness of a new partial order, recently introduced by Remmel, on the symmetric group (by refinement on the underlying partitions into cycles) as well as a simple new proof of the homotopy type for intervals in the weak order for the symmetric group. Additional applications appear in [HW].

math.CO↗

arXiv2018

Discrete Morse functions from lexicographic orders

This paper shows how to construct a discrete Morse function with a relatively small number of critical cells for the order complex of any finite poset with $\hat{0} $ and $\hat{1}$ from any lexicographic order on its maximal chains. Specifically, if we attach facets according to the lexicographic order on maximal chains, then each facet contributes at most one new face which is critical, and at most one Betti number changes; facets which do not change the homotopy type also do not contribute any critical faces. Dimensions of critical faces as well as a description of which facet attachments change the homotopy type are provided in terms of interval systems associated to the facets. As one application, the Möbius function may be computed as the alternating sum of Morse numbers. The above construction enables us to prove that the poset $Π_n/S_{λ}$ of partitions of a set $\{1^{λ_1},..., k^{λ_k}\} $ with repetition is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres of top dimension when $λ$ is a hook-shaped partition; it is likely that the proof may be extended to a larger class of $λ$ and perhaps to all $λ$, despite a result of Ziegler which shows that $Π_n/S_λ$ is not always Cohen-Macaulay. Additional applications appear in [He2] and [HW].

math.AT↗

arXiv2017

SB-labelings and posets with each interval homotopy equivalent to a sphere or a ball

We introduce a new class of poset edge labelings for locally finite lattices which we call $SB$-labelings. We prove for finite lattices which admit an $SB$-labeling that each open interval has the homotopy type of a ball or of a sphere of some dimension. Natural examples include the weak order, the Tamari lattice, and the finite distributive lattices.

math.CO↗

arXiv2016

From the weak Bruhat order to crystal posets

We investigate the ways in which fundamental properties of the weak Bruhat order on a Weyl group can be lifted (or not) to a corresponding highest weight crystal graph, viewed as a partially ordered set; the latter projects to the weak order via the key map. First, a crystal theoretic analogue of the statement that any two reduced expressions for the same Coxeter group element are related by Coxeter moves is proven for all lower intervals in a simply or doubly laced crystal. On the other hand, it is shown that no finite set of moves exists, even in type A, for arbitrary crystal graph intervals. In fact, it is shown that there are relations of arbitrarily high degree amongst crystal operators that are not implied by lower degree relations. Second, for crystals associated to Kac-Moody algebras it is shown for lower intervals that the Mobius function is always 0, 1, or -1, and in finite type this is also proven for upper intervals, with a precise formula given in each case. Moreover, the order complex for each of these intervals is proven to be homotopy equivalent to a ball or to a sphere of some dimension, despite often not being shellable. For general intervals, examples are constructed with arbitrarily large Mobius function, again even in type A. Any interval having Mobius function other than 0, 1, or -1 is shown to contain within it a relation amongst crystal operators that is not implied by the relations giving rise to the local structure of the crystal, making precise a tight relationship between the Mobius function and these somewhat unexpected relations appearing in crystals. New properties of the key map are also derived. The key is shown to be determined entirely by the edge-colored poset-theoretic structure of the crystal, and a recursive algorithm is given for calculating it.

math.CO↗

arXiv2015

Representation stability for cohomology of configuration spaces in $\mathbf{R}^d$

This paper studies representation stability in the sense of Church and Farb for representations of the symmetric group $S_n$ on the cohomology of the configuration space of $n$ ordered points in $\mathbf{R}^d$. This cohomology is known to vanish outside of dimensions divisible by $d-1$; it is shown here that the $S_n$-representation on the $i(d-1)^{st}$ cohomology stabilizes sharply at $n=3i$ (resp. $n=3i+1$) when $d$ is odd (resp. even). The result comes from analyzing $S_n$-representations known to control the cohomology: the Whitney homology of set partition lattices for $d$ even, and the higher Lie representations for $d$ odd. A similar analysis shows that the homology of any rank-selected subposet in the partition lattice stabilizes by $n\geq 4i$, where $i$ is the maximum rank selected. Further properties of the Whitney homology and more refined stability statements for $S_n$-isotypic components are also proven, including conjectures of J. Wiltshire-Gordon.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

CW posets after the Poincare Conjecture

Anders Bjorner characterized which finite graded partially ordered sets arise as the posets of closure relations on cells of a finite, regular CW complex. His characterization of these "CW posets" required each open interval $(\hat{0},u)$ to have order complex homeomorphic to a sphere of dimension $rk(u)-2$. Work of Danaraj and Klee showed that sufficient conditions were for the poset to be thin and shellable. The proof of the Poincare Conjecture enables the requirement of shellability to be replaced by the homotopy Cohen-Macaulay property. This expands the range of tools that may be used to prove a poset is a CW poset.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

The q=-1 phenomenon via homology concentration

We introduce a homological approach to exhibiting instances of Stembridge's q=-1 phenomenon. This approach is shown to explain two important instances of the phenomenon, namely that of partitions whose Ferrers diagrams fit in a rectangle of fixed size and that of plane partitions fitting in a box of fixed size. A more general framework of invariant and coinvariant complexes with coefficients taken mod 2 is developed, and as a part of this story an analogous homological result for necklaces is conjectured.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

A lexicographic shellability characterization of geometric lattices

Geometric lattices are characterized in this paper as those finite, atomic lattices such that every atom ordering induces a lexicographic shelling given by an edge labeling known as a minimal labeling. Equivalently, geometric lattices are shown to be exactly those finite lattices such that every ordering on the join-irreducibles induces a lexicographic shelling. This new characterization fits into a similar paradigm as McNamara's characterization of supersolvable lattices as those lattices admitting a different type of lexicographic shelling, namely one in which each maximal chain is labeled with a permutation of {1,...,n}.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

Regular cell complexes in total positivity

This paper proves a conjecture of Fomin and Shapiro that their combinatorial model for any Bruhat interval is a regular CW complex which is homeomorphic to a ball. The model consists of a stratified space which may be regarded as the link of an open cell intersected with a larger closed cell, all within the totally nonnegative part of the unipotent radical of an algebraic group. A parametrization due to Lusztig turns out to have all the requisite features to provide the attaching maps. A key ingredient is a new, readily verifiable criterion for which finite CW complexes are regular involving an interplay of topology with combinatorics.

math.CO↗

arXiv2012

Toric Cubes

A toric cube is a subset of the standard cube defined by binomial inequalities. These basic semialgebraic sets are precisely the images of standard cubes under monomial maps. We study toric cubes from the perspective of topological combinatorics. Explicit decompositions as CW-complexes are constructed. Their open cells are interiors of toric cubes and their boundaries are subcomplexes. The motivating example of a toric cube is the edge-product space in phylogenetics, and our work generalizes results known for that space.

math.CO↗