Rank-perfect and" weakly rank-perfect graphs

An edge e of a perfect graph G is critical if G−e is imperfect. We would like to decide whether G−e is still “almost perfect” or already “very imperfect”. Via relaxations of the stable set polytope of a graph, we define two superclasses of perfect graphs: rank-perfect and weakly rank-perfect graphs. Membership in those two classes indicates how far an imperfect graph is away from being perfect. We study the cases, when a critical edge is removed from the line graph of a bipartite graph or from the complement of such a graph.     

Poincaré-Hopf inequalities

In this article the main theorem establishes the necessity and sufficiency of the Poincaré-Hopf inequalities in order for the Morse inequalities to hold. The convex hull of the collection of all Betti number vectors which satisfy the Morse inequalities for a pre-assigned index data determines a Morse polytope defined on the nonnegative orthant. Using results from network flow theory, a scheme is provided for constructing all possible Betti number vectors which satisfy the Morse inequalities for a pre-assigned index data. Geometrical properties of this polytope are described.

     

On rank-perfect subclasses of near-bipartite graphs

Shepherd95 proved that the stable set polytopes of near-bipartite graphs are given by constraints associated with the complete join of antiwebs only. For antiwebs, the facet set reduces to rank constraints associated with single antiwebs by Wagler2004. We extend this result to a larger graph class, the complements of fuzzy circular interval graphs, recently introduced in ChudnovskySeymour2004. Received: November 2004 / Revised version: June 2005     

RANDOM EDGE can be exponential on abstract cubes

We prove that RANDOM EDGE, the simplex algorithm that always chooses a random improving edge to proceed on, can take a mildly exponential number of steps in the model of abstract objective functions (introduced by Williamson Hoke [Completely unimodal numberings of a simple polytope, Discrete Appl. Math. 20 (1988) 69-81.] and by Kalai [A simple way to tell a simple polytope from its graph, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 49(2) (1988) 381-383.] under different names). We define an abstract objective function on the n-dimensional cube for which the algorithm, started at a random vertex, needs at least exp(const·n^1/3) steps with high probability. The best previous lower bound was quadratic. So in order for RANDOM EDGE to succeed in polynomial time, geometry must help.     

On hyperbolic virtual polytopes and hyperbolic fans

Hyperbolic virtual polytopes arose originally as polytopal versions of counterexamples to the following A.D.Alexandrov’s uniqueness conjecture: Let K ⊂ ℝ³ be a smooth convex body. If for a constant C, at every point of ∂K, we have R ₁ ≤ C ≤ R ₂ then K is a ball. (R ₁ and R ₂ stand for the principal curvature radii of ∂K.) This paper gives a new (in comparison with the previous construction by Y.Martinez-Maure and by G.Panina) series of counterexamples to the conjecture. In particular, a hyperbolic virtual polytope (and therefore, a hyperbolic hérisson) with odd an number of horns is constructed. Moreover, various properties of hyperbolic virtual polytopes and their fans are discussed.     

Special simplices and Gorenstein toric rings

Athanasiadis [Ehrhart polynomials, simplicial polytopes, magic squares and a conjecture of Stanley, J. Reine Angew. Math., to appear.] studies an effective technique to show that Gorenstein sequences coming from compressed polytopes are unimodal. In the present paper we will use such the technique to find a rich class of Gorenstein toric rings with unimodal h-vectors arising from finite graphs.     

Minkowski-type and Alexandrov-Type Theorems for Polyhedral Herissons

Classical H. Minkowski theorems on existence and uniqueness of convex polyhedra with prescribed directions and areas of faces as well as the well-known generalization of H. Minkowski uniqueness theorem due to A.D. Alexandrov are extended to a class of nonconvex polyhedra which are called polyhedral herissons and may be described as polyhedra with injective spherical image.