• 1 Department of Mathematics [MIT]

The type $A_n$ root polytope $\mathcal{P}(A_n^+)$ is the convex hull in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ of the origin and the points $e_i-e_j$ for $1 \leq i < j \leq n+1$. Given a tree $T$ on vertex set $[n+1]$, the associated root polytope $\mathcal{P}(T)$ is the intersection of $\mathcal{P}(A_n^+)$ with the cone generated by the vectors $e_i-e_j$, where $(i, j) \in E(T)$, $i < j$. The reduced forms of a certain monomial $m[T]$ in commuting variables $x_{ij}$ under the reduction $x_{ij} x_{jk} \to x_{ik} x_{ij} + x_{jk} x_{ik} + \beta x_{ik}$, can be interpreted as triangulations of $\mathcal{P}(T)$. If we allow variables $x_{ij}$ and$x_{kl}$ to commute only when $i, j, k, l$ are distinct, then the reduced form of $m[T]$ is unique and yields a canonical triangulation of $\mathcal{P}(T)$ in which each simplex corresponds to a noncrossing alternating forest.