Markov bases and generalized Lawrence liftings

Abstract

Minimal Markov bases of configurations of integer vectors correspond to minimal binomial generating sets of the assocciated lattice ideal. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the elements of a minimal Markov basis to be (a) inside the universal Gr{\" o}bner basis and (b) inside the Graver basis. We study properties of Markov bases of generalized Lawrence liftings for arbitrary matrices $A\in\mathcal{M}_{m\times n}(\Bbb{Z})$ and $B\in\mathcal{M}_{p\times n}(\Bbb{Z})$ and show that in cases of interest the {\em complexity} of any two Markov bases is the same.