Cohen-Macaulay bipartite graphs in arbitrary codimension

Abstract:

Let $G$ be an unmixed bipartite graph of dimension $d-1$. Assume that $K_{n,n}$, with $n\ge 2$, is a maximal complete bipartite subgraph of $G$ of minimum dimension. Then $G$ is Cohen-Macaulay in codimension $t$ if and only if $t\ge d-n+1$. This is derived from a characterization of Cohen-Macaulay bipartite graphs by Herzog and Hibi and generalizes a recent result of Cook and Nagel on unmixed Buchsbaum graphs. Furthermore, we show that any unmixed bipartite graph $G$ which is Cohen-Macaulay in codimension $t$, is obtained from a Cohen-Macaulay graph by replacing certain edges of $G$ with complete bipartite graphs. Thus, in light of combinatorial characterization of Cohen-Macaulay bipartite graphs, our result may be considered purely combinatorial.