Desingularizations of Schubert varieties in double Grassmannians

Let X = Gr(k, V) × Gr(l, V) be the direct product of two Grassmann varieties of k-and l-planes in a finite-dimensional vector space V, and let B ? GL(V) be the isotropy group of a complete flag in V. We consider B-orbits in X, which are an analog of Schubert cells in Grassmannians. We describe this set of orbits combinatorially and construct desingularizations for the closures of these orbits, similar to the Bott-Samelson desingularizations for Schubert varieties.     

Bioriented flags and resolutions of Schubert varieties

We use incidence relations running in two directions in order to construct a Kempf–Laksov type resolution for any Schubert variety of the complete flag manifold but also an embedded resolution for any Schubert variety in the Grassmannian. These constructions are alternatives to the celebrated Bott–Samelson resolutions. The second process led to the introduction of W-flag varieties, algebro-geometric objects that interpolate between the standard flag manifolds and products of Grassmannians, but which are singular in general. The surprising simple desingularization of a particular such type of variety produces an embedded resolution of the Schubert variety within the Grassmannian.     

Local properties of Richardson varieties in the Grassmannian via a bounded Robinson-Schensted-Knuth correspondence

The Richardson variety X _α ^γ in the Grassmannian is defined to be the intersection of the Schubert variety X ^γ and opposite Schubert variety X _α . We give an explicit Gröbner basis for the ideal of the tangent cone at any T-fixed point of X _α ^γ , thus generalizing a result of Kodiyalam-Raghavan (J. Algebra 270(1):28–54, 2003) and Kreiman-Lakshmibai (Algebra, Arithmetic and Geometry with Applications, 2004). Our proof is based on a generalization of the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth (RSK) correspondence, which we call the bounded RSK (BRSK). We use the Gröbner basis result to deduce a formula which computes the multiplicity of X _α ^γ at any T-fixed point by counting families of nonintersecting lattice paths, thus generalizing a result first proved by Krattenthaler (Sém. Lothar. Comb. 45:B45c, 2000/2001; J. Algebr. Comb. 22:273–288, 2005).     

Folding procedure for Newton-Okounkov polytopes of Schubert varieties

The theory of Newton-Okounkov polytopes is a generalization of that of Newton polytopes for toric varieties, and gives a systematic method of constructing toric degenerations of projective varieties. In the case of Schubert varieties, their Newton-Okounkov polytopes are deeply connected with representation theory. Indeed, Littelmann’s string polytopes and Nakashima-Zelevinsky’s polyhedral realizations are obtained as Newton-Okounkov polytopes of Schubert varieties. In this paper, we apply the folding procedure to a Newton-Okounkov polytope of a Schubert variety, which relates Newton-Okounkov polytopes of Schubert varieties of different types. As an application, we obtain a new interpretation of Kashiwara’s similarity of crystal bases.     

Intersections of Schubert varieties and eigenvalue inequalities in an arbitrary finite factor

The intersection ring of a complex Grassmann manifold is generated by Schubert varieties, and its structure is governed by the Littlewood-Richardson rule. Given three Schubert varieties S₁, S₂, S₃ with intersection number equal to one, we show how to construct an explicit element in their intersection. This element is obtained generically as the result of a sequence of lattice operations on the spaces of the corresponding flags, and is therefore well defined over an arbitrary field of scalars. Moreover, this result also applies to appropriately defined analogues of Schubert varieties in the Grassmann manifolds associated with a finite von Neumann algebra. The arguments require the combinatorial structure of honeycombs, particularly the structure of the rigid extremal honeycombs. It is known that the eigenvalue distributions of self-adjoint elements a,b,c with a+b+c=0 in the factor Rω are characterized by a system of inequalities analogous to the classical Horn inequalities of linear algebra. We prove that these inequalities are in fact true for elements of an arbitrary finite factor. In particular, if x,y,z are self-adjoint elements of such a factor and x+y+z=0, then there exist self-adjoint a,b,c∈Rω such that a+b+c=0 and a (respectively, b,c) has the same eigenvalue distribution as x (respectively, y,z). A (‘complete’) matricial form of this result is known to imply an affirmative answer to an embedding question formulated by Connes. The critical point in the proof of this result is the production of elements in the intersection of three Schubert varieties. When the factor under consideration is the algebra of n×n complex matrices, our arguments provide new and elementary proofs of the Horn inequalities, which do not require knowledge of the structure of the cohomology of the Grassmann manifolds.     

Depth of Initial Ideals of Normal Edge Rings

Let G be a finite graph on the vertex set [d] = {1,…, d} with the edges e ₁,…, e _n and K[t] = K[t ₁,…, t _d ] the polynomial ring in d variables over a field K. The edge ring of G is the semigroup ring K[G] which is generated by those monomials t ^e  = t _i t _j such that e = {i, j} is an edge of G. Let K[x] = K[x ₁,…, x _n ] be the polynomial ring in n variables over K, and define the surjective homomorphism π: K[x] → K[G] by setting π(x _i ) = t ^{e _i} for i = 1,…, n. The toric ideal I _G of G is the kernel of π. It will be proved that, given integers f and d with 6 ≤ f ≤ d, there exists a finite connected nonbipartite graph G on [d] together with a reverse lexicographic order <_rev on K[x] and a lexicographic order <_lex on K[x] such that (i) K[G] is normal with Krull-dim K[G] = d, (ii) depth K[x]/in_<rev (I _G ) = f and K[x]/in_<lex (I _G ) is Cohen–Macaulay, where in_<rev (I _G ) (resp., in_<lex (I _G )) is the initial ideal of I _G with respect to <_rev (resp., <_lex) and where depth K[x]/in_<rev (I _G ) is the depth of K[x]/in_<rev (I _G ).     

On the universal Gröbner bases of toric ideals of graphs

The universal Gröbner basis of an ideal is a Gröbner basis with respect to all term orders simultaneously. We characterize in graph theoretical terms the elements of the universal Gröbner basis of the toric ideal of a graph. We also provide a new degree bound. Finally, we give examples of graphs for which the true degrees of their circuits are less than the degrees of some elements of the Graver basis.     

An algebraic geometry algorithm for scheduling in presence of setups and correlated demands

We study here a problem of schedulingn job types onm parallel machines, when setups are required and the demands for the products are correlated random variables. We model this problem as a chance constrained integer program.Methods of solution currently available—in integer programming and stochastic programming—are not sufficient to solve this model exactly. We develop and introduce here a new approach, based on a geometric interpretation of some recent results in Gröbner basis theory, to provide a solution method applicable to a general class of chance constrained integer programming problems.Out algorithm is conceptually simple and easy to implement. Starting from a (possibly) infeasible solution, we move from one lattice point to another in a monotone manner regularly querying a membership oracle for feasibility until the optimal solution is found. We illustrate this methodology by solving a problem based on a real system.Corresponding author.     

On free products in varieties of associative algebras

Varieties of associative algebras over a field of characteristic zero are considered. Belov recently proved that, in any variety of this kind, the Hilbert series of a relatively free algebra of finite rank is rational. At the same time, for three important varieties, namely, those of algebras with zero multiplication, of commutative algebras, and of all associative algebras, a stronger assertion holds: for these varieties, formulas that rationally express the Hilbert series of the free product algebra via the Hilbert series of the factors are well known. In the paper, a system of counterexamples is presented which shows that there is no formula of this kind in any other variety, even in the case of two factors one of which is a free algebra. However, if we restrict ourselves to the class of graded PI-algebras generated by their components of degree one, then there exist infinitely many varieties for each of which a similar formula is valid. Translated fromMatematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 65, No. 5, pp. 693–702, May, 1999.