\v{C}ech complexes of hypercube graphs

TL;DR

This paper investigates the topological properties of Čech complexes constructed from hypercube graphs at different radii, revealing their homotopy types and homology, and providing bounds relevant to persistent homology analysis.

Contribution

It characterizes the homotopy types of Čech complexes of hypercube graphs at specific radii and establishes bounds on their persistent homology, advancing understanding of their topological structure.

Findings

Čech complex at r=2 is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of 2-spheres

At r=3, the complex has nonzero homology in dimensions 3 and 4 for n≥4

Inclusion maps between complexes at r and r+2 are null-homotopic

Abstract

A \v{C}ech complex of a finite simple graph $G$ is a nerve complex of balls in the graph, with one ball centered at each vertex. More precisely, let the \v{C}ech complex $\mathcal{N}(G,r)$ be the nerve of all closed balls of radius $\frac{r}{2}$ centered at vertices of $G$, where these balls are drawn in the geometric realization of the graph $G$ (equipped with the shortest path metric). The simplicial complex $\mathcal{N}(G,r)$ is equal to the graph $G$ when $r=1$, and homotopy equivalent to the graph $G$ when $r$ is smaller than half the length of the shortest loop in $G$. For higher values of $r$, the topology of $\mathcal{N}(G,r)$ is not well-understood. We consider the $n$-dimensional hypercube graphs $\mathbb{I}_n$ with $2^n$ vertices. Our main results are as follows. First, when $r=2$, we show that the \v{C}ech complex $\mathcal{N}(\mathbb{I}_n,2)$ is homotopy equivalent to a wedge of 2-spheres for all $n\ge 1$, and we count the number of 2-spheres appearing in this wedge sum. Second, when $r=3$, we show that $\mathcal{N}(\mathbb{I}_n,3)$ is homotopy equivalent to a simplicial complex of dimension at most 4, and that for $n\ge 4$ the reduced homology of $\mathcal{N}(\mathbb{I}_n, 3)$ is nonzero in dimensions 3 and 4, and zero in all other dimensions. Finally, we show that for all $n\ge 1$ and $r\ge 0$, the inclusion $\mathcal{N}(\mathbb{I}_n, r)\hookrightarrow \mathcal{N}(\mathbb{I}_n, r+2)$ is null-homotopic, providing a bound on the length of bars in the persistent homology of \v{C}ech complexes of hypercube graphs.