Matrix factorizations and link homology

For each positive integer n the HOMFLY polynomial of links specializes to a one-variable polynomial that can be recovered from the representation theory of quantum sl(n). For each such n we build a doubly-graded homology theory of links with this polynomial as the Euler characteristic. The core of our construction utilizes the theory of matrix factorizations, which provide a linear algebra description of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules on isolated hypersurface singularities.Comment: 108 pages, 61 figures, latex, ep

Normal Domains Arising from Graph Theory

Determining whether an arbitrary subring R of k[x1±1,...,xn±1] is a normal domain is, in general, a nontrivial problem, even in the special case of a monomial generated domain. First, we determine normality in the case where R is a monomial generated domain where the generators have the form (xixj)±1. Using results for this special case we generalize to the case when R is a monomial generated domain where the generators have the form xi±1xj±1. In both cases, for the ring R, we consider the combinatorial structure that assigns an edge in a mixed directed signed graph to each monomial of the ring. We then use this relationship to provide a combinatorial characterization of the normality of R, and, when R is not normal, we use the combinatorial characterization to compute the normalization of R. Using this construction, we also determine when the ring R satisfies Serre\u27s R1 condition. We also discuss generalizations of this to directed graphs with a homogenizing variable and a special class of hypergraphs

International Journal of Mathematical Combinatorics, Vol.7A

The International J.Mathematical Combinatorics (ISSN 1937-1055) is a fully refereed international journal, sponsored by the MADIS of Chinese Academy of Sciences and published in USA quarterly comprising 460 pages approx. per volume, which publishes original research papers and survey articles in all aspects of Smarandache multi-spaces, Smarandache geometries, mathematical combinatorics, non-euclidean geometry and topology and their applications to other sciences

Balanced algebraic unknotting, linking forms, and surfaces in three- and four-space

We provide three 3-dimensional characterizations of the Z-slice genus of a knot, the minimum genus of a locally-flat surface in 4-space cobounding the knot whose complement has cyclic fundamental group: in terms of balanced algebraic unknotting, in terms of Seifert surfaces, and in terms of presentation matrices of the Blanchfield pairing. This result generalizes to a knot in an integer homology 3-sphere and surfaces in certain simply connected signature zero 4-manifolds cobounding this homology sphere. Using the Blanchfield characterization, we obtain effective lower bounds for the Z-slice genus from the linking pairing of the double branched cover of the knot. In contrast, we show that for odd primes p, the linking pairing on the first homology of the p-fold branched cover is determined up to isometry by the action of the deck transformation group on said first homology.Comment: 39 pages, 5 figures, comments are welcome! v2: Added generalization of the main theorem to knots and surfaces in more general 3- and 4-manifolds; added new corollary showing equality of the Z-slice genus and the superslice genus; expanded introduction, and added example in last sectio

Twisty itsy bitsy topological field theory

We extend the topological field theory (``itsy bitsy topological field theory"') of our previous work from mod-2 to twisted coefficients. This topological field theory is derived from sutured Floer homology but described purely in terms of surfaces with signed points on their boundary (occupied surfaces) and curves on those surfaces respecting signs (sutures). It has information-theoretic (``itsy'') and quantum-field-theoretic (``bitsy'') aspects. In the process we extend some results of sutured Floer homology, consider associated ribbon graph structures, and construct explicit admissible Heegaard decompositions.Comment: 52 pages, 26 figure

Root and weight semigroup rings for signed posets

We consider a pair of semigroups associated to a signed poset, called the root semigroup and the weight semigroup, and their semigroup rings, $R_P^\mathrm{rt}$ and $R_P^\mathrm{wt}$, respectively. Theorem 4.1.5 gives generators for the toric ideal of affine semigroup rings associated to signed posets and, more generally, oriented signed graphs. These are the subrings of Laurent polynomials generated by monomials of the form $t_i^{\pm 1},t_i^{\pm 2},t_i^{\pm 1}t_j^{\pm 1}$. This result appears to be new and generalizes work of Boussicault, F\'eray, Lascoux and Reiner, of Gitler, Reyes, and Villarreal, and of Villarreal. Theorem 4.2.12 shows that strongly planar signed posets $P$ have rings $R_P^\mathrm{rt}$, $R_{P^{\scriptscriptstyle\vee}}$ which are complete intersections, with Corollary 4.2.20 showing how to compute $\Psi_P$ in this case. Theorem 5.2.3 gives a Gr\"obner basis for the toric ideal of $R_P^{\mathrm{wt}}$ in type B, generalizing Proposition 6.4 of F\'eray and Reiner. Theorems 5.3.10 and 5.3.1 give two characterizations (via forbidden subposets versus via inductive constructions) of the situation where this Gr\"obner basis gives a complete intersection presentation for its initial ideal, generalizing Theorems 10.5 and 10.6 of F\'eray and Reiner.Comment: 170 pages; 63 figures; PhD Dissertation, University of Minnesota, August 201

Simplicial and Cellular Trees

Much information about a graph can be obtained by studying its spanning trees. On the other hand, a graph can be regarded as a 1-dimensional cell complex, raising the question of developing a theory of trees in higher dimension. As observed first by Bolker, Kalai and Adin, and more recently by numerous authors, the fundamental topological properties of a tree --- namely acyclicity and connectedness --- can be generalized to arbitrary dimension as the vanishing of certain cellular homology groups. This point of view is consistent with the matroid-theoretic approach to graphs, and yields higher-dimensional analogues of classical enumerative results including Cayley's formula and the matrix-tree theorem. A subtlety of the higher-dimensional case is that enumeration must account for the possibility of torsion homology in trees, which is always trivial for graphs. Cellular trees are the starting point for further high-dimensional extensions of concepts from algebraic graph theory including the critical group, cut and flow spaces, and discrete dynamical systems such as the abelian sandpile model.Comment: 39 pages (including 5-page bibliography); 5 figures. Chapter for forthcoming IMA volume "Recent Trends in Combinatorics