The 4-cycle obstruction conjecture for κ-matroidal connectivity functions

Let EE be a finite set, and let u u be the connectivity function on a,b,c,d\\{a,b,c,d\\} defined by

ν({a})=ν({b})=ν({c})=ν({d})=1,\nu(\{a\})=\nu(\{b\})=\nu(\{c\})=\nu(\{d\})=1, ν({a,b})=ν({b,c})=1,ν({a,c})=2,\nu(\{a,b\})=\nu(\{b,c\})=1,\qquad \nu(\{a,c\})=2,

and with all other values determined by symmetry. A connectivity function is unitary when its singleton values are at most one, and it is κ-matroidal when it is obtained by the operation μ(ED)\mu\downarrow (E-D) from a matroidal connectivity function. The 4-cycle obstruction conjecture. Let μ\mu be a unitary connectivity function on EE. Then μ\mu is κ-matroidal if and only if there is no subset DED\subseteq E such that μ(ED)\mu\downarrow (E-D) is isomorphic to ν\nu. The conjecture proposes that the connectivity function arising from a 4-cycle is the only obstruction to being κ-matroidal, a property that is minor-closed under the operation defined in the source. Its status is not resolved in the supplied text.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Susan Jowett, Songbao Mo and Geoff Whittle, “Connectivity Functions and Polymatroids”, arXiv:1605.01455 (2016).

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