Algebraic shifting and graded Betti numbers

Abstract

Let $S = K[x_1, ..., x_n]$ denote the polynomial ring in $n$ variables over a field $K$ with each $°x_i = 1$. Let $Δ$ be a simplicial complex on $[n] = \{1, ..., n \}$ and $I_Δ\subset S$ its Stanley--Reisner ideal. We write $Δ^e$ for the exterior algebraic shifted complex of $Δ$ and $Δ^c$ for a combinatorial shifted complex of $Δ$. Let $β_{ii+j}(I_Δ) = \dim_K \Tor_i(K, I_Δ)_{i+j}$ denote the graded Betti numbers of $I_Δ$. In the present paper it will be proved that (i) $β_{ii+j}(I_{Δ^e}) \leq β_{ii+j}(I_{Δ^c})$ for all $i$ and $j$, where the base field is infinite, and (ii) $β_{ii+j}(I_Δ) \leq β_{ii+j}(I_{Δ^c})$ for all $i$ and $j$, where the base field is arbitrary. Thus in particular one has $β_{ii+j}(I_Δ) \leq β_{ii+j}(I_{Δ^{lex}})$ for all $i$ and $j$, where $Δ^{lex}$ is the unique lexsegment simplicial complex with the same $f$-vector as $Δ$ and where the base field is arbitrary.

14 pages; title changed, new section added. To appear in Trans. Amer. Math. Soc