Geometric combinatorial algebras: cyclohedron and simplex

In this paper we report on results of our investigation into the algebraic structure supported by the combinatorial geometry of the cyclohedron. Our new graded algebra structures lie between two well known Hopf algebras: the Malvenuto-Reutenauer algebra of permutations and the Loday-Ronco algebra of binary trees. Connecting algebra maps arise from a new generalization of the Tonks projection from the permutohedron to the associahedron, which we discover via the viewpoint of the graph associahedra of Carr and Devadoss. At the same time that viewpoint allows exciting geometrical insights into the multiplicative structure of the algebras involved. Extending the Tonks projection also reveals a new graded algebra structure on the simplices. Finally this latter is extended to a new graded Hopf algebra (one-sided) with basis all the faces of the simplices.Comment: 23 figures, new expanded section about Hopf algebra of simplices, with journal correction

Bergman Complexes, Coxeter Arrangements, and Graph Associahedra

Tropical varieties play an important role in algebraic geometry. The Bergman complex B(M) and the positive Bergman complex B+(M) of an oriented matroid M generalize to matroids the notions of the tropical variety and positive tropical variety associated to a linear ideal. Our main result is that if A is a Coxeter arrangement of type Phi with corresponding oriented matroid M_Phi, then B+(M_Phi) is dual to the graph associahedron of type Phi, and B(M_Phi) equals the nested set complex of A. In addition, we prove that for any orientable matroid M, one can find |mu(M)| different reorientations of M such that the corresponding positive Bergman complexes cover B(M), where mu(M) denotes the Mobius function of the lattice of flats of M.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, new result and new proofs adde

Graph properties of graph associahedra

A graph associahedron is a simple polytope whose face lattice encodes the nested structure of the connected subgraphs of a given graph. In this paper, we study certain graph properties of the 1-skeleta of graph associahedra, such as their diameter and their Hamiltonicity. Our results extend known results for the classical associahedra (path associahedra) and permutahedra (complete graph associahedra). We also discuss partial extensions to the family of nestohedra.Comment: 26 pages, 20 figures. Version 2: final version with minor correction