OSCAR Newsletter – May 2026

Hello, OSCAR Community!

Welcome to the May edition of the OSCAR newsletter! We are excited to share the latest updates, features, and achievements from our community.

Version 1.7.2 Released!

New features as compared to version 1.6.0 include:

• Algebraic Geometry: Added automatic generation of ample classes for elliptic surfaces, alongside minor improvements for finitely presented modules and cache representatives of inverses in quotient rings.
• Number Theory: Introduction of a new type for torsion quadratic modules. Added new functions for ZZLatWithIsom and unit groups of finite rings, and improved the handling of non-nice polynomials in galois_group.
• Combinatorics: Provided access to phylogenetic tree data available from OscarDB and extended betti_numbers for SimplicialComplex to allow computing Betti numbers over a field. Added the functions (has_)disjoint_automorphisms, petersen_graph and clebsch_graph.
• Polyhedral Geometry: Fixed and improved polymake visualization with jupyter, as well as f_vector for cones with lineality and for fans with positive lineality dimension. Improved normal_cone to support multiple vertices as input and provided an option for calculating outer or inner normal cones. Field coercion and pre-set coefficient fields for polyhedra are now possible.
• Commutative Algebra: Added puiseux_expansion and improved is_principal for ideals in multivariate rings. Allowed general subquotient modules as input to vector_space_dimension and related functions. Fixed issubset for complements of prime and kpoint ideals, as well as fitting ideals for free modules, resolved an mres issue due to presentation, and corrected the computation of lengths of free resolutions of free modules.
• For more details on the newest release, visit the GitHub Release or our website.

Papers Using OSCAR:

• Fabian Mäurer, Ulrich Thiel, and Gert Vercleyen in their new preprint compute CF-Symbols and R-symbols for the Drinfeld center of the Haagerup subfactor, using the package TensorCategories.jl, which is based on OSCAR.
• Antony Della Vecchia, Michael Joswig, and Fabian Lenzen present in their new paper An empirically fast Las Vegas algorithm for algebraic shifting of hypergraphs and simplicial complexes, for which the code has been available in OSCAR since version 1.7.0.
• Gabriel Riffo and Leonard Schmitz introduce SignatureTensors.jl: A Package for Signature Tensors in Julia in their new preprint, which is compatible with OSCAR and enables both exact and numerical computations with signatures. They also cite several related works in OSCAR, particularly in the context of iterated integral signatures.
• Veronika Körber investigates Triangulations and Maximal Cross-Ratio Degrees in her new preprint, studying the cross-ratio problem given by triangulations in the tropical world. The tropical recursive algorithm by Goldner is used for computing the maximal possible degree of sets of cross-ratios using 9 markings. These computations use OSCAR.

Upcoming Events:

• JuliaCon 2026 - Mainz, Germany · Aug 10-15, 2026
  • Featuring the minisymposium: Symbolic and Numerical Methods in (Nonlinear) Algebra.
• TRR 195 - Annual Meeting - Aachen, Germany · Sept 21-24

Developer Spotlight:

Martin Bies (Total contributions to OSCAR last 12 months: 83 commits; 23,009 added lines of code)

Martin Bies is a postdoctoral researcher at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. His research in string theory focuses on distinguishing physically viable solutions from the vast landscape of possibilities, using geometric and computational methods. He is a core contributor to the OSCAR computer algebra system, where his work centers on toric geometry and the FTheoryTools module—dedicated to F-theory, a branch of string theory—bridging ideas from physics, mathematics, and computer science. Learn more on his personal website and follow him on GitHub under the username herearound.

OSCAR-Shop:

Visit the OSCAR-Shop for exclusive merchandise and show your support for the project in style.

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Get Involved:

Do you want to contribute to the project? Find more information at our Contributor Guide to learn how to help-from code and documentation to outreach and community support.

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Best regards,
The OSCAR Team