Rees algebras, Monomial Subrings and Linear Optimization Problems

In this thesis we are interested in studying algebraic properties of monomial algebras, that can be linked to combinatorial structures, such as graphs and clutters, and to optimization problems. A goal here is to establish bridges between commutative algebra, combinatorics and optimization. We study the normality and the Gorenstein property-as well as the canonical module and the a-invariant-of Rees algebras and subrings arising from linear optimization problems. In particular, we study algebraic properties of edge ideals and algebras associated to uniform clutters with the max-flow min-cut property or the packing property. We also study algebraic properties of symbolic Rees algebras of edge ideals of graphs, edge ideals of clique clutters of comparability graphs, and Stanley-Reisner rings.

Systems with the integer rounding property in normal monomial subrings

Let C be a clutter and let A be its incidence matrix. If the linear system x>=0;xA<=1 has the integer rounding property, we give a description of the canonical module and the a-invariant of certain normal subrings associated to C. If the clutter is a connected graph, we describe when the aforementioned linear system has the integer rounding property in combinatorial and algebraic terms using graph theory and the theory of Rees algebras. As a consequence we show that the extended Rees algebra of the edge ideal of a bipartite graph is Gorenstein if and only if the graph is unmixed.

Algebraic and combinatorial properties of ideals and algebras of uniform clutters of TDI systems

Let C be a uniform clutter, i.e., all the edges of C have the same size, and let A be the incidence matrix of C. We denote the column vectors of A by v1,...,vq. The vertex covering number of C, denoted by g, is the smallest number of vertices in any minimal vertex cover of C. Under certain conditions we prove that C is vertex critical. If C satisfies the max-flow min-cut property, we prove that A diagonalizes over the integers to an identity matrix and that v1,...,vq is a Hilbert basis. It is shown that if C has a perfect matching such that C has the packing property and g=2, then A diagonalizes over the integers to an identity matrix. If A is a balanced matrix we prove that any regular triangulation of the cone generated by v1,...,vq is unimodular. Some examples are presented to show that our results only hold for uniform clutters. These results are closely related to certain algebraic properties, such as the normality or torsion freeness, of blowup algebras of edge ideals and to finitely generated abelian groups. They are also related to the theory of Grobner bases of toric ideals and to Ehrhart rings.

Symbolic Rees algebras, vertex covers and irreducible representations of Rees cones

Let G be a simple graph and let J be its ideal of vertex covers. We give a graph theoretical description of the irreducible b-vertex covers of G, i.e., we describe the minimal generators of the symbolic Rees algebra of J. Then we study the irreducible b-vertex covers of the blocker of G, i.e., we study the minimal generators of the symbolic Rees algebra of the edge ideal of G. We give a graph theoretical description of the irreducible binary b-vertex covers of the blocker of G. It is shown that they correspond to irreducible induced subgraphs of G. As a byproduct we obtain a method, using Hilbert bases, to obtain all irreducible induced subgraphs of G. In particular we obtain all odd holes and antiholes. We study irreducible graphs and give a method to construct irreducible b-vertex covers of the blocker of G with high degree relative to the number of vertices of G.

Duality, a-invariants and canonical modules of rings arising from linear optimization problems

The aim of this paper is to study integer rounding properties of various systems of linear inequalities to gain insight about the algebraic properties of Rees algebras of monomial ideals and monomial subrings. We study the normality and Gorenstein property--as well as the canonical module and the a-invariant--of Rees algebras and subrings arising from systems with the integer rounding property. We relate the algebraic properties of Rees algebras and monomial subrings with integer rounding properties and present a duality theorem.

Cohen-Macaulay clutters with combinatorial optimization properties and parallelizations of normal edge ideals

Let C be a uniform clutter and let I=I(C) be its edge ideal. We prove that if C satisfies the packing property (resp. max-flow min-cut property), then there is a uniform Cohen-Macaulay clutter C1 satisfying the packing property (resp. max-flow min-cut property) such that C is a minor of C1. For arbitrary edge ideals of clutters we prove that the normality property is closed under parallelizations. Then we show some applications to edge ideals and clutters which are related to a conjecture of Conforti and Cornuejols and to max-flow min-cut problems.