KAIST Discrete Math Seminar

A small cover is a topological analogue of real toric varieties, and is an important object in toric topology. It is noted that the formula of the ℤ₂-cohomology ring of small cover is well-known. However, the integral cohomology ring of small covers has not been known well.

In this talk, we discuss about the Betti numbers and its torsion of the small covers associated to some nestohedra including graph associahedra. Interestingly, the Betti numbers can be computed by purely combinatorial method (in terms of graphs and hypergraphs). To our surprise, for specific families of graphs, these numbers are deeply related to well-known combinatorial sequences such as the Catalan numbers and Euler zigzag numbers.