Topology of random $2$-dimensional cubical complexes

Abstract

We study a natural model of a random $2$-dimensional cubical complex which is a subcomplex of an n-dimensional cube, and where every possible square $2$-face is included independently with probability p. Our main result exhibits a sharp threshold $p=1/2$ for homology vanishing as $n \to \infty $. This is a $2$-dimensional analogue of the Burtin and Erdoős–Spencer theorems characterising the connectivity threshold for random graphs on the $1$-skeleton of the n-dimensional cube.

Keywords

• stochastic topology
• cubical complexes
• random groups
• 05C80
• 62R99
• 68Q87