On the subdivision algebra for the polytope ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$

Abstract

The polytopes ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$ were introduced by Ceballos, Padrol, and Sarmiento to provide a geometric approach to the study of $(I,\bar{J})$-Tamari lattices. They observed a connection between certain ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$ and acyclic root polytopes, and wondered if Mészáros' subdivision algebra can be used to subdivide all ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$. We answer this in the affirmative from two perspectives, one using flow polytopes and the other using root polytopes. We show that ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$ is integrally equivalent to a flow polytope that can be subdivided using the subdivision algebra. Alternatively, we find a suitable projection of ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$ to an acyclic root polytope which allows subdivisions of the root polytope to be lifted back to ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$. As a consequence, this implies that subdivisions of ${\mathcal{U}}_{I,\bar{J}}$ can be obtained with the algebraic interpretation of using reduced forms of monomials in the subdivision algebra. In addition, we show that the $(I,\bar{J})$-Tamari complex can be obtained as a triangulated flow polytope.

19 pages, 3 figures