Abstract
The regularity $${\text {reg}}R(I(G))$$
reg
R
(
I
(
G
)
)
of the Rees ring R(I(G)) of the edge ideal I(G) of a finite simple graph G is studied. It is shown that, if R(I(G)) is normal, one has $${\text {mat}}(G) \le {\text {reg}}R(I(G)) \le {\text {mat}}(G) + 1$$
mat
(
G
)
≤
reg
R
(
I
(
G
)
)
≤
mat
(
G
)
+
1
, where $${\text {mat}}(G)$$
mat
(
G
)
is the matching number of G. In general, the induced matching number is a lower bound for the regularity, which can be shown by applying the squarefree divisor complex.