arXiv subjects

Rob Silversmith

Publications and source records attributed to Rob Silversmith.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Degenerations in tropical compactifications and tropical intersection theory of $\overline{M}_{0,n}$

The main result of this paper is a formula for the limit cycle of a 1-parameter family of subvarieties of a tropical compactification, expressed in terms of tropical intersections. Our theorem generalizes results of Dickenstein-Feichtner-Sturmfels and Katz to the case of tropical compactifications. In the second part of the paper, we apply our formula to the moduli space $\overline{M}_{0, n}$ of stable marked rational curves. We describe the tropicalization of the Kapranov maps $\overline{M}_{0, n}\to\mathbb{P}^{n-3}$, whose hyperplane pullbacks are the $\psi$-classes, with respect to a suitable choice of torus. We introduce tropical $\psi$-hypersurfaces (in genus zero). These are different from the standard definition of Mikhalkin and Kerber-Markwig, and may be of independent interest. We demonstrate our main result by giving a "firework algorithm" that computes limits of intersections of $\psi$-hypersurfaces.

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arXiv2026

Counting point configurations in projective space

We investigate the enumerative geometry of point configurations in projective space. We define "projective configuration counts": these enumerate configurations of points in projective space such that certain specified subsets are in fixed relative positions. The $\mathbb{P}^1$ case recovers cross-ratio degrees, which arise naturally in numerous contexts. We establish two main results. The first is a combinatorial upper bound given by the number of weighted transversals of a bipartite graph. The second is a recursion that relates counts associated to projective spaces of different dimensions, by projecting away from a given point. Key inputs include the Gelfand-MacPherson correspondence, the Jacobi-Trudi and Thom-Porteous formulae, and the notion of surplus from matching theory of bipartite graphs.

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arXiv2025

Handlebodies, Outer space, and tropical geometry

The moduli space of graphs $M_{g,n}^{\mathrm{trop}}$ is a polyhedral object that mimics the behavior of the moduli spaces $M_{g,n}$, $\overline{M}_{g,n}$ of (stable) Riemann surfaces; this relationship has been made precise in several different ways, which collectively identify $M_{g,n}^{\mathrm{trop}}$ as the "tropicalization" of $M_{g,n}$. We describe how this relationship lifts to some objects that live over $M_{g,n}$ (like Teichm\"uller space) and that live over $M_{g,n}^{\mathrm{trop}}$ (like the Culler-Vogtmann space $CV_{g,n}^*$). We introduce the notion of a stable complex handlebody, and show that $CV_{g,n}^*$ can be viewed as the tropicalization of a certain complex manifold $hT(V_{g,n})$ that parametrizes complex handlebodies. An important ingredient is our construction of a partial compactification $\overline{hT}(V_{g,n})\supset hT(V_{g,n})$, which we prove is a simply connected complex manifold with simple normal crossings boundary. When $n=0$, $hT(V_{g,n})$ coincides with the moduli space of Schottky groups, $\overline{hT}(V_{g,n})$ coincides with Gerritzen-Herrlich's extended Schottky space, and $CV_{g,0}^*$ is the simplicial completion of the original Outer space. The resulting picture fits together many familiar objects from geometric group theory and surface topology, including Harvey's curve complex, mapping class groups of surfaces and handlebodies, and augmented Teichm\"uller space. Many of the relationships between the objects that we see in this picture already exist in the literature, but we add some new ones, and generalize several existing relationships to include a number $n>0$ of punctures/leaves.

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arXiv2024

Stable curves and chromatic polynomials

The intersection numbers of moduli spaces of stable curves $\overline{M}_{g,m}$ are well-studied and are known to have rich combinatorial structure. We introduce a natural class of these intersection numbers $\omega_{G,g,m}$ indexed by finite simple graphs $G=(V,E)$. In genus zero, these numbers are closely related to several previously-studied quantities, including maximum likelihood degrees in algebraic statistics, counts of regions of certain hyperplane arrangements, and Kapranov degrees. We give two proofs of a simple closed formula $\omega_{G,g,m}=(-1)^{\left\lvert V \right\rvert}\chi_G(-(2g-2+m)),$ where $\chi_G$ is the chromatic polynomial of $G$ -- one proof via intersection theory on moduli spaces of stable curves, and the other using the theory of hyperplane arrangements. We discuss several related questions and speculations, including new candidates for the chromatic polynomial of a directed graph.

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arXiv2023

Cross-ratio degrees and triangulations

The cross-ratio degree problem counts configurations of n points on P^1 with n-3 prescribed cross-ratios. Cross-ratio degrees arise in many corners of combinatorics and geometry, but their structure is not well-understood in general. Interestingly, examining various special cases of the problem can yield combinatorial structures that are both diverse and rich. In this paper we prove a simple closed formula for a class of cross-ratio degrees indexed by triangulations of an n-gon; these degrees are connected to the geometry of the real locus of M_{0,n}, and to positive geometry.

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arXiv2023

Genus-zero $r$-spin theory

We provide an explicit formula for all primary genus-zero $r$-spin invariants. Our formula is piecewise polynomial in the monodromies at each marked point and in $r$. To deduce the structure of these invariants, we use a tropical realization of the corresponding cohomological field theories. We observe that the collection of all WDVV relations is equivalent to the relations deduced from the fact that genus-zero tropical CohFT cycles are balanced.

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arXiv2021

The spine of the T-graph of the Hilbert scheme of points in the plane

The torus T of projective space also acts on the Hilbert scheme of subschemes of projective space. The T-graph of the Hilbert scheme has vertices the fixed points of this action, and edges connecting pairs of fixed points in the closure of a one-dimensional orbit. In general this graph depends on the underlying field. We construct a subgraph, which we call the spine, of the T-graph of Hilb^m(A^2) that is independent of the choice of infinite field. For certain edges in the spine we also give a description of the tropical ideal, in the sense of tropical scheme theory, of a general ideal in the edge. This gives a more refined understanding of these edges, and of the tropical stratification of the Hilbert scheme.

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arXiv2021

Cross-ratio degrees and perfect matchings

Cross-ratio degrees count configurations of points $z_1,\ldots, z_n \in \mathbb{P}^1$ satisfying $n - 3$ cross-ratio constraints, up to isomorphism. These numbers arise in multiple contexts in algebraic and tropical geometry, and may be viewed as combinatorial invariants of certain hypergraphs. We prove an upper bound on cross-ratio degrees in terms of the theory of perfect matchings on bipartite graphs. We also discuss several of the many perspectives on cross-ratio degrees -- including a connection to Gromov-Witten theory -- and give many example computations.

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arXiv2020

Equations at infinity for critical-orbit-relation families of rational maps

We develop techniques for using compactifications of Hurwitz spaces to study families of rational maps $\mathbb{P}^1\to\mathbb{P}^1$ defined by critical orbit relations. We apply these techniques in two settings: We show that the parameter space $\mathrm{Per}_{d,n}$ of degree-$d$ bicritical maps with a marked 4-periodic critical point is a $d^2$-punctured Riemann surface of genus $\frac{(d-1)(d-2)}{2}$. We also show that the parameter space $\mathrm{Per}_{2,5}$ of degree-2 rational maps with a marked 5-periodic critical point is a 10-punctured elliptic curve, and we identify its isomorphism class over $\mathbb{Q}$. We carry out an experimental study of the interaction between dynamically defined points of $\mathrm{Per}_{2,5}$ (such as PCF points or punctures) and the group structure of the underlying elliptic curve.

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arXiv2020

Two-dimensional cycle classes on $\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}}$

For each $n\ge5$, we give an $S_n$-equivariant basis for $H_4(\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}},\mathbb{Q})$, as well as for $H_{2(n-5)}(\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}},\mathbb{Q})$. Such a basis exists for $H_2(\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}},\mathbb{Q})$ and for $H_{2(n-4)}(\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}},\mathbb{Q})$, but it is not known whether one exists for $H_{2k}(\overline{\mathcal{M}_{0,n}},\mathbb{Q})$ when $3\le k\le n-6$.

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arXiv2019

On product identities and the Chow rings of holomorphic symplectic varieties

For a moduli space $M$ of stable sheaves over a $K3$ surface $X$, we propose a series of conjectural identities in the Chow rings $CH_\star (M \times X^\ell),\, \ell \geq 1,$ generalizing the classic Beauville-Voisin identity for a $K3$ surface. We emphasize consequences of the conjecture for the structure of the tautological subring $R_\star (M) \subset CH_\star (M).$ The conjecture places all tautological classes in the lowest piece of a natural filtration emerging on $CH_\star (M)$, which we also discuss. We prove the proposed identities when $M$ is the Hilbert scheme of points on a $K3$ surface.

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arXiv2019

The matroid stratification of the Hilbert scheme of points on P^1

Given a homogeneous ideal $I$ in a polynomial ring over a field, one may record, for each degree $d$ and for each polynomial $f\in I_d$, the set of monomials in $f$ with nonzero coefficients. These data collectively form the tropicalization of $I$. Tropicalizing ideals induces a "matroid stratification" on any (multigraded) Hilbert scheme. Very little is known about the structure of these stratifications. In this paper, we explore many examples of matroid strata, including some with interesting combinatorial structure, and give a convenient way of visualizing them. We show that the matroid stratification in the Hilbert scheme of points $(\mathbb{P}^1)^{[k]}$ is generated by all Schur polynomials in $k$ variables. We end with an application to the $T$-graph problem of $(\mathbb{A}^2)^{[n]}$; classifying this graph is a longstanding open problem, and we establish the existence of an infinite class of edges.

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arXiv2011

Planar and spherical stick indices of knots

The stick index of a knot is the least number of line segments required to build the knot in space. We define two analogous 2-dimensional invariants, the planar stick index, which is the least number of line segments in the plane to build a projection, and the spherical stick index, which is the least number of great circle arcs to build a projection on the sphere. We find bounds on these quantities in terms of other knot invariants, and give planar stick and spherical stick constructions for torus knots and for compositions of trefoils. In particular, unlike most knot invariants,we show that the spherical stick index distinguishes between the granny and square knots, and that composing a nontrivial knot with a second nontrivial knot need not increase its spherical stick index.

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