arXiv subjects

Thomas McConville

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas McConville.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Sorting via chip-firing

We investigate a variant of the chip-firing process on the infinite path graph: rather than treating the chips as indistinguishable, we label them with positive integers. To fire an unstable vertex, i.e. a vertex with more than one chip, we choose any two chips at that vertex and move the lesser-labeled chip to the left and the greater-labeled chip to the right. This labeled version of the chip-firing process exhibits a remarkable confluence property, similar to but subtler than the confluence that prevails for unlabeled chip-firing: when all chips start at the origin and the number of chips is even, the chips always end up in sorted order. Our proof of sorting relies upon an independently interesting lemma concerning unlabeled chip- firing which says that stabilization preserves a natural partial order on configurations. We also discuss some extensions of this sorting phenomenon to other graphs (variants of the infinite path), to other initial configurations, and to other Cartan-Killing types.

math.CO↗

arXiv2016

Oriented Flip Graphs and Noncrossing Tree Partitions

In this paper, we study the lattice properties of posets of torsion pairs in the module category of a family of representation-finite gentle algebras called tiling algebras, introduced by Coelho Simoes and Parsons. We present a combinatorial model for torsion pairs using polyogonal subdivisions of a convex polygon. We use this model and the lattice theory to classify 2-term simple-minded collections in the bounded derived category of the corresponding tiling algebra. As a consequence, we obtain a characterization of c-matrices for any quiver mutation-equivalent to a type A Dynkin quiver. Our model is developed using the dual tree of a polygonal subdivision. Given such a tree, we introduce a simplicial complex of noncrossing geodesics supported by the tree which we call the noncrossing complex. The facets of the noncrossing complex may be given the structure of an oriented flip graph. Special cases of the oriented flip graphs that may be expressed in this way include the Tamari order, type A Cambrian orders, oriented exchange graphs for quivers mutation-equivalent to a path quiver. We prove that the oriented flip graph of any noncrossing complex is a polygonal, congruence-uniform lattice. To do so, we express the oriented flip graph as a lattice quotient of a lattice of biclosed sets. The facets of the noncrossing complex have an alternate ordering known as the shard intersection order. We prove that this shard intersection order is isomorphic to a lattice of noncrossing tree partitions. The oriented flip graph inherits a cyclic action from its congruence-uniform structure. On noncrossing tree partitions, this cyclic action generalizes the classical Kreweras complementation on noncrossing set partitions. We show that the data of a noncrossing tree partition and its Kreweras complement is equivalent to a 2-term simple-minded collection of the associated tiling algebra.

math.RT↗

arXiv2015

Homotopy type of intervals of the second higher Bruhat orders

The higher Bruhat order is a poset of cubical tilings of a cyclic zonotope whose covering relations are cubical flips. For a 2-dimensional zonotope, the higher Bruhat order is isomorphic to a poset on commutation classes of reduced words for the longest element of a type A Coxeter system. For this case, we prove that the noncontractible intervals are in natural correspondence with the zonogonal tilings of a zonogon. Our proof uses some tools developed by Felsner and Weil to show that the two standard orderings on the rhombic tilings of a zonogon are identical.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Biclosed sets in real hyperplane arrangements

The set of chambers of a real hyperplane arrangement may be ordered by separation from some fixed chamber. When this poset is a lattice, Bjorner, Edelman, and Ziegler proved that the chambers are in natural bijection with the biconvex sets of the arrangement. Two families of examples of arrangements with a lattice of chambers are simplicial and supersolvable arrangements. For these arrangements, we prove that the chambers correspond to biclosed sets, a weakening of the biconvex property.

math.CO↗

arXiv2014

Crosscut-simplicial Lattices

We call a lattice crosscut-simplicial if the crosscut complex of every atomic interval is equal to the boundary of a simplex. Every interval of such a lattice is either contractible or homotopy equivalent to a sphere. Recently, Hersh and Meszaros introduced SB-labellings and proved that if a lattice has an SB-labelling then it is crosscut-simplicial. Some known examples of lattices with a natural SB-labelling include the join-distributive lattices, the weak order of a Coxeter group, and the Tamari lattice. Generalizing these three examples, we prove that every meet-semidistributive lattice is crosscut-simplicial, though we do not know whether all such lattices admit an SB-labelling. While not every crosscut-simplicial lattice is meet-semidistributive, we prove that these properties are equivalent for chamber posets of real hyperplane arrangements.

math.CO↗