A Discrete Morse Perspective on Knot Projections and a Generalised Clock Theorem

We obtain a simple and complete characterisation of which matchings on the Tait graph of a knot diagram induce a discrete Morse function (dMf) on the two sphere, extending a construction due to Cohen. We show these dMfs are in bijection with certain rooted spanning forests in the Tait graph. We use this to count the number of such dMfs with a closed formula involving the graph Laplacian. We then simultaneously generalise Kauffman's Clock Theorem and Kenyon-Propp-Wilson's correspondence in two different directions; we first prove that the image of the correspondence induces a bijection on perfect dMfs, then we show that all perfect matchings, subject to an admissibility condition, are related by a finite sequence of click and clock moves. Finally, we study and compare the matching and discrete Morse complexes associated to the Tait graph, in terms of partial Kauffman states, and provide some computations.

Min-Max Theory for Cell Complexes

In the study of smooth functions on manifolds, min-max theory provides a mechanism for identifying critical values of a function. We introduce a discretized version of this theory associated to a discrete Morse function on a (regular) cell complex. As applications we prove a discrete version of the mountain pass lemma and give an alternate proof of a discrete Lusternik–Schnirelmann theorem.

Expected sizes of Poisson–Delaunay mosaics and their discrete Morse functions

Mapping every simplex in the Delaunay mosaic of a discrete point set to the radius of the smallest empty circumsphere gives a generalized discrete Morse function. Choosing the points from a Poisson point process in ℝn, we study the expected number of simplices in the Delaunay mosaic as well as the expected number of critical simplices and nonsingular intervals in the corresponding generalized discrete gradient. Observing connections with other probabilistic models, we obtain precise expressions for the expected numbers in low dimensions. In particular, we obtain the expected numbers of simplices in the Poisson–Delaunay mosaic in dimensionsn≤ 4.

Discrete Morse Inequalities on Infinite Graphs

The goal of this paper is to extend to infinite graphs the known Morse inequalities for discrete Morse functions proved by R. Forman in the finite case. In order to get this result we shall use a special kind of infinite subgraphs on which a discrete Morse function is monotonous, namely, decreasing rays. In addition, we shall use this result to characterize infinite graphs by the number of critical elements of discrete Morse functions defined on them.

MORSE INEQUALITIES ON CERTAIN INFINITE 2-COMPLEXES

Using the notion of discrete Morse function introduced by R. Forman for finite cw-complexes, we generalize it to the infinite 2-dimensional case in order to get the corresponding version of the well-known discrete Morse inequalities on a non-compact triangulated 2-manifold without boundary and with finite homology. We also extend them for the more general case of a non-compact triangulated 2-pseudo-manifold with a finite number of critical simplices and finite homology.