Hyperplane Arrangements Research Articles

The homogenized Linial arrangement and Genocchi numbers

We study the intersection lattice of a hyperplane arrangement recently introduced by Hetyei who showed that the number of regions of the arrangement is a median Genocchi number. Using a different method, we refine Hetyei's result by providing a combinatorial interpretation of the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the intersection lattice of this arrangement. The Genocchi numbers count a class of permutations known as Dumont permutations and the median Genocchi numbers count the derangements in this class. We show that the signless coefficients of the characteristic polynomial count Dumont-like permutations with a given number of cycles. This enables us to derive formulas for the generating function of the characteristic polynomial, which reduce to known formulas for the generating functions of the Genocchi numbers and the median Genocchi numbers. As a byproduct of our work, we obtain new models for the Genocchi and median Genocchi numbers.Mathematics Subject Classifications: 52C35 (Primary), 05A05, 05A15, 05B35, 06A07, 11B68 (Secondary)

Deletion-restriction for sheaf homology of graded atomic lattices

We give a long exact sequence for the homology of a graded atomic lattice equipped with a sheaf of modules, in terms of the deleted and restricted lattices. This is then used to compute the homology of the arrangement lattice of a hyperplane arrangement equipped with the natural sheaf. This generalises an old result of Lusztig.

Refined lattice path enumeration and combinatorial reciprocity

It is well known that the set of $m$-Dyck paths with a fixed height and a fixed amount of valleys is counted by the Fu{\ss}-Narayana numbers. In this article, we consider the set of $m$-Dyck paths that start with at least $t$ north steps. We give exact formulas for the number of such paths with fixed height, fixed number of returns and (i) fixed number of valleys, (ii) fixed number of valleys with $x$-coordinate divisible by $m$ and (iii) fixed number of valleys with $x$-coordinate not divisible by $m$. The enumeration (ii) combinatorially realizes the $H$-triangle appearing in a recent article of Krattenthaler and the first author (Algebr. Comb. 5, 2022) in the context of certain parabolic noncrossing partitions. Through a transformation formula due to Chapoton, we give an explicit formula for the associated $F$-triangle. We realize this polynomial combinatorially by means of generalized Schr\"oder paths as well as flats in certain hyperplane arrangements. Along the way we exhibit two new combinatorial reciprocity results.

A branch statistic for trees: interpreting coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of braid deformations

A hyperplane arrangement in $\mathbb{R}^n$ is a finite collection of affine hyperplanes. The regions are the connected components of the complement of these hyperplanes. By a theorem of Zaslavsky, the number of regions of a hyperplane arrangement is the sum of coefficients of its characteristic polynomial. Arrangements that contain hyperplanes parallel to subspaces whose defining equations are $x_i - x_j = 0$ form an important class called the deformations of the braid arrangement. In a recent work, Bernardi showed that regions of certain deformations are in one-to-one correspondence with certain labeled trees. In this article, we define a statistic on these trees such that the distribution is given by the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial. In particular, our statistic applies to well-studied families like extended Catalan, Shi, Linial and semiorder.

On Smith normal forms of q-Varchenko matrices

In this paper, we investigate q-Varchenko matrices for some hyperplane arrangements with symmetry in two andthree dimensions, and prove that they have a Smith normal formover Z[q]. In particular, we examine the hyperplane arrangement forthe regular n-gon in the plane and the dihedral model in the spaceand Platonic polyhedra. In each case, we prove that the q-Varchenko matrix associated with the hyperplane arrangement has a Smith normal form over Z[q] and realize their congruent transformation matrices over Z[q] as well.

Polyhedral potential field constructions for obstacle avoidance in a receding horizon formulation

We revisit and enhance previous work pertaining to the use of polyhedral potential fields for motion planning in a receding horizon framework. We adapt the standard vertex-based mixed-integer (MI) representations of piecewise affine functions and propose three equivalent formulations which balance the complexity of the geometric representation with the size of the associated MI representation. In all cases, we arrive at formulations whose polyhedral support comes (either directly or as a refinement of it) from an associated hyperplane arrangement induced by the hyperplanes bounding the polyhedral obstacles.

Stability conditions for contraction algebras

AbstractThis paper gives a description of the full space of Bridgeland stability conditions on the bounded derived category of a contraction algebra associated to a$3$-fold flop. The main result is that the stability manifold is the universal cover of a naturally associated hyperplane arrangement, which is known to be simplicial and in special cases is an ADE root system. There are four main corollaries: (1) a short proof of the faithfulness of pure braid group actions in both algebraic and geometric settings, the first that avoid normal forms; (2) a classification of tilting complexes in the derived category of a contraction algebra; (3) contractibility of the stability spaceassociated to the flop; and (4) a new proof of the$K(\unicode{x3c0} \,,1)$-theorem in various finite settings, which includes ADE braid groups.

Graded Linearity of Stanley–Reisner Ring of Broken Circuit Complexes

This paper introduces two new notions of graded linear resolution and graded linear quotients, which generalize the concepts of linear resolution property and linear quotient for modules over the polynomial ring A = k[x1, …, xn]. Besides, we compare graded linearity with componentwise linearity in general. For modules minimally generated by a regular sequence in a maximal ideal of A, we show that graded linear quotients imply graded linear resolution property for the colon ideals. On the other hand, we provide specific characterizations of graded linear resolution property for the Stanley–Reisner ring of broken circuit complexes and generalize the results of Van Le and Römer, related to the decomposition of matroids into the direct sum of uniform matroids. Specifically, we show that the matroid can be stratified such that each stratum has a decomposition into uniform matroids. We also present analogs of our results for the Orlik–Terao ideal of hyperplane arrangements which are translations of the corresponding results on matroids.

Factorization statistics and bug-eyed configuration spaces

A recent theorem of Hyde proves that the factorizations statistics of a random polynomial over a finite field are governed by the action of the symmetric group on the configuration space of $n$ distinct ordered points in $\mathbb R^3$. Hyde asked whether this result could be explained geometrically. We give a geometric proof of Hyde's theorem as an instance of the Grothendieck--Lefschetz trace formula applied to an interesting, highly nonseparated algebraic space. An advantage of our method is that it generalizes uniformly to an arbitrary Weyl group. In the process we study certain non-Hausdorff models for complements of hyperplane arrangements, first introduced by Proudfoot.

Roots of the characteristic polynomials of hyperplane arrangements and their restrictions and localizations

Terao's factorization theorem shows that if an arrangement is free, then its characteristic polynomial factors into the product of linear polynomials over the integer ring. This is not a necessary condition, for example, many integer-rooted non-free arrangements have been found in [9]. However, still main examples whose characteristic polynomials factor over the integer ring are free arrangements. On the other hand, the localization of a free arrangement is free, and its restriction is in many cases free, thus its characteristic polynomial factors. In this paper, we consider how their integer, or real roots behave.

Equivariant Log Concavity and Representation Stability

AbstractWe expand upon the notion of equivariant log concavity and make equivariant log concavity conjectures for Orlik–Solomon algebras of matroids, Cordovil algebras of oriented matroids, and Orlik–Terao algebras of hyperplane arrangements. In the case of the Coxeter arrangement for the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{l}_n$, we exploit the theory of representation stability to give computer-assisted proofs of these conjectures in low degree.

A Greedy Algorithm to Compute Arrangements of Lines in the Projective Plane

We introduce a greedy algorithm optimizing arrangements of lines with respect to a property. We apply this algorithm to the case of simpliciality: it recovers all known simplicial arrangements of lines in a very short time and also produces a yet unknown simplicial arrangement with 35 lines. We compute a (certainly incomplete) database of combinatorially simplicial complex arrangements of hyperplanes with up to 50 lines. Surprisingly, it contains several examples whose matroids have an infinite space of realizations up to projectivities.

Diameters of Cocircuit Graphs of Oriented Matroids: An Update

Oriented matroids are combinatorial structures that generalize point configurations, vector configurations, hyperplane arrangements, polyhedra, linear programs, and directed graphs. Oriented matroids have played a key role in combinatorics, computational geometry, and optimization. This paper surveys prior work and presents an update on the search for bounds on the diameter of the cocircuit graph of an oriented matroid. The motivation for our investigations is the complexity of the simplex method and the criss-cross method.
 We review the diameter problem and show the diameter bounds of general oriented matroids reduce to those of uniform oriented matroids. We give the latest exact bounds for oriented matroids of low rank and low corank, and for all oriented matroids with up to nine elements (this part required a large computer-based proof). For arbitrary oriented matroids, we present an improvement to a quadratic bound of Finschi. Our discussion highlights an old conjecture that states a linear bound for the diameter is possible. On the positive side, we show the conjecture is true for oriented matroids of low rank and low corank, and, verified with computers, for all oriented matroids with up to nine elements. On the negative side, our computer search showed two natural strengthenings of the main conjecture are false.

The Varchenko determinant of an oriented matroid

Varchenko introduced in 1993 a distance function on the chambers of a hyperplane arrangement that gave rise to a determinant whose entry in position $(C, D)$ is the distance between the chambers $C$ and $D$, and computed that determinant. In 2017, Aguiar and Mahajan provided a generalization of that distance function, and computed the corresponding determinant. This article extends their distance function to the topes of an oriented matroid, and computes the determinant thus defined. Oriented matroids have the nice property to be abstractions of some mathematical structures including hyperplane and sphere arrangements, polytopes, directed graphs, and even chirality in molecular chemistry. Independently and with another method, Hochst{a}ttler and Welker also computed in 2019 the same determinant.

Intersection theory of the stable pair compactification of the moduli space of six lines in the plane

We generalize Keel’s results on the intersection theory of $${\overline{M}}_{0,n}$$ to the first nontrivial higher-dimensional case, the stable pair compactification $${\overline{M}}(3,6)$$ of the moduli space M(3, 6) of six lines in the plane. In particular, we describe a sequence of blowups yielding a small resolution of $${\overline{M}}(3,6)$$ , and use this sequence to give a presentation of the Chow ring of any small resolution of $${\overline{M}}(3,6)$$ , analogous to Keel’s presentation of $$A^*({\overline{M}}_{0,n})$$ . We also introduce tautological classes on the moduli space of stable hyperplane arrangements and discuss their intersection theory on $${\overline{M}}(3,6)$$ . As an application of our results, we give an independent proof of Luxton’s result that $${\overline{M}}(3,6)$$ is the log canonical compactification of M(3, 6).

Bijections for Faces of the Shi and Catalan Arrangements

In 1986, Shi derived the famous formula $(n+1)^{n-1}$ for the number of regions of the Shi arrangement, a hyperplane arrangement in ${R}^n$. There are at least two different bijective explanations of this formula, one by Pak and Stanley, another by Athanasiadis and Linusson. In 1996, Athanasiadis used the finite field method to derive a formula for the number of $k$-dimensional faces of the Shi arrangement for any $k$. Until now, the formula of Athanasiadis did not have a bijective explanation. In this paper, we extend a bijection for regions defined by Bernardi to obtain a bijection between the $k$-dimensional faces of the Shi arrangement for any $k$ and a set of decorated binary trees. Furthermore, we show how these trees can be converted to a simple set of functions of the form $f: [n-1] \to [n+1]$ together with a marked subset of $\text{Im}(f)$. This correspondence gives the first bijective proof of the formula of Athanasiadis. In the process, we also obtain a bijection and counting formula for the faces of the Catalan arrangement. All of our results generalize to both extended arrangements.

More Bisections by Hyperplane Arrangements

A union of an arrangement of affine hyperplanes $H$ in $R^d$ is the real algebraic variety associated to the principal ideal generated by the polynomial $p_{H}$ given as the product of the degree one polynomials which define the hyperplanes of the arrangement. A finite Borel measure on $R^d$ is bisected by the arrangement of affine hyperplanes $H$ if the measure on the "non-negative side" of the arrangement $\{x\in R^d : p_{H}(x)\ge 0\}$ is the same as the measure on the "non-positive" side $\{x\in R^d : p_{H}(x)\le 0\}$. In 2017 Barba, Pilz \& Schnider considered special cases of the following measure partition hypothesis: For a given collection of $j$ finite Borel measures on $R^d$ there exists a $k$-element affine hyperplane arrangement that bisects each of the measures into equal halves simultaneously. They showed that there are simultaneous bisections in the case when $d=k=2$ and $j=4$. They conjectured that every collection of $j$ measures on $R^d$ can be simultaneously bisected with a $k$-element affine hyperplane arrangement provided that $d\ge \lceil j/k \rceil$. The conjecture was confirmed in the case when $d\ge j/k=2^a$ by Hubard and Karasev in 2018. In this paper we give a different proof of the Hubard and Karasev result using the framework of Blagojevi\'c, Frick, Haase \& Ziegler (2016), based on the equivariant relative obstruction theory of tom Dieck, which was developed for handling the Gr\"unbaum--Hadwiger--Ramos hyperplane measure partition problem. Furthermore, this approach allowed us to prove even more, that for every collection of $2^a(2h+1)+\ell$ measures on $R^{2^a+\ell}$, where $1\leq \ell\leq 2^a-1$, there exists a $(2h+1)$-element affine hyperplane arrangement that bisects all of them simultaneously. Our result was extended to the case of spherical arrangements and reproved by alternative methods in a beautiful way by Crabb in 2020.

Congruence Normality of Simplicial Hyperplane Arrangements via Oriented Matroids

A catalogue of simplicial hyperplane arrangements was first given by Grünbaum in 1971. These arrangements naturally generalize finite Coxeter arrangements and also the weak order through the poset of regions. The weak order is known to be a congruence normal lattice, and congruence normality of lattices of regions of simplicial arrangements can be determined using polyhedral cones called shards. In this article, we update Grünbaum’s catalogue by providing normals realizing all known simplicial arrangements with up to 37 lines and key invariants. Then we add structure to this catalogue by determining which arrangements always/sometimes/never lead to congruence normal lattices of regions. To this end, we use oriented matroids to recast shards as covectors to determine congruence normality of large hyperplane arrangements. We also show that lattices of regions coming from finite Weyl groupoids of any rank are always congruence normal.

The polytope algebra of generalized permutahedra

The polytope subalgebra of deformations of a zonotope can be endowed with the structure of a module over the Tits algebra of the corresponding hyperplane arrangement. We explore this construction and find relations between statistics on (signed) permutations and the module structure in the case of (type B) generalized permutahedra. In type B, the module structure surprisingly reveals that any family of generators (via signed Minkowski sums) for generalized permutahedra of type B will contain at least $2^{d-1}$ full-dimensional polytopes. We find a generating family of simplices attaining this minimum. Finally, we prove that the relations defining the polytope algebra are compatible with the Hopf monoid structure of generalized permutahedra.

Cell complexes, poset topology and the representation theory of algebras arising in algebraic combinatorics and discrete geometry

In recent years it has been noted that a number of combinatorial structures such as real and complex hyperplane arrangements, interval greedoids, matroids and oriented matroids have the structure of a finite monoid called a left regular band. Random walks on the monoid model a number of interesting Markov chains such as the Tsetlin library and riffle shuffle. The representation theory of left regular bands then comes into play and has had a major influence on both the combinatorics and the probability theory associated to such structures. In a recent paper, the authors established a close connection between algebraic and combinatorial invariants of a left regular band by showing that certain homological invariants of the algebra of a left regular band coincide with the cohomology of order complexes of posets naturally associated to the left regular band. The purpose of the present monograph is to further develop and deepen the connection between left regular bands and poset topology. This allows us to compute finite projective resolutions of all simple modules of unital left regular band algebras over fields and much more. In the process, we are led to define the class of CW left regular bands as the class of left regular bands whose associated posets are the face posets of regular CW complexes. Most of the examples that have arisen in the literature belong to this class. A new and important class of examples is a left regular band structure on the face poset of a CAT(0) cube complex. Also, the recently introduced notion of a COM (complex of oriented matroids or conditional oriented matroid) fits nicely into our setting and includes CAT(0) cube complexes and certain more general CAT(0) zonotopal complexes. A fairly complete picture of the representation theory for CW left regular bands is obtained.