Graphs of non-crossing perfect matchings

Let Pn be a set of n = 2m points that are the vertices of a convex polygon, and let Mm be the graph having as vertices all the perfect matchings in the point set Pn whose edges are straight line segments and do not cross, and edges joining two perfect matchings M1 and M2 if M2 = M1 ¡ (a; b) ¡ (c; d) + (a; d) + (b; c) for some points a; b; c; d of Pn. We prove the following results about Mm: its diameter is m ¡ 1; it is bipartite for every m; the connectivity is equal to m ¡ 1; it has no Hamilton path for m odd, m > 3; and finally it has a Hamilton cycle for every m even, m>=4

Manifolds of isospectral arrow matrices

An arrow matrix is a matrix with zeroes outside the main diagonal, first row, and first column. We consider the space $M_{St_n,\lambda}$ of Hermitian arrow $(n+1)\times (n+1)$-matrices with fixed simple spectrum $\lambda$. We prove that this space is a smooth $2n$-manifold, and its smooth structure is independent on the spectrum. Next, this manifold carries the locally standard torus action: we describe the topology and combinatorics of its orbit space. If $n\geqslant 3$, the orbit space $M_{St_n,\lambda}/T^n$ is not a polytope, hence this manifold is not quasitoric. However, there is a natural permutation action on $M_{St_n,\lambda}$ which induces the combined action of a semidirect product $T^n\rtimes\Sigma_n$. The orbit space of this large action is a simple polytope. The structure of this polytope is described in the paper. In case $n=3$, the space $M_{St_3,\lambda}/T^3$ is a solid torus with boundary subdivided into hexagons in a regular way. This description allows to compute the cohomology ring and equivariant cohomology ring of the 6-dimensional manifold $M_{St_3,\lambda}$ using the general theory developed by the first author. This theory is also applied to a certain $6$-dimensional manifold called the twin of $M_{St_3,\lambda}$. The twin carries a half-dimensional torus action and has nontrivial tangent and normal bundles.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure

Some notes on generic rectangulations

A rectangulation is a subdivision of a rectangle into rectangles. A generic rectangulation is a rectangulation that has no crossing segments. We explain several observations and pose some questions about generic rectangulations. In particular, we show how one may "centrally invert" a generic rectangulation about any given rectangle, analogous to reflection across a circle in classical geometry. We also explore 3-dimensional orthogonal polytopes related to "marked" rectangulations and drawings of planar maps.  These observations arise from viewing a generic rectangulation as topologically equivalent to a sphere