Structural conjecture for 3-connected binary matroids excluding M(K_4) as an induced minor

Let a binary projective geometry be a projective geometry representable over GF(2)GF(2), and let a tipped coning mean a coning operation that retains its tip, while a tipless coning means deleting the tip from a coning. A matroid is triangle-free if it has no three-element circuits. Generalized parallel connections across projective geometries, tipped conings, and tipless conings of triangle-free matroids are the operations under consideration.

Structural conjecture. The class of 33-connected binary matroids that do not contain M(K4)M(K_4) as an induced minor is exactly the class of matroids that can be obtained by starting with binary projective geometries and circuits and applying sequences of the following operations: generalized parallel connections across projective geometries, tipped coning, and tipless coning of triangle-free matroids.

This conjecture aims to characterize all 33-connected binary matroids excluding M(K4)M(K_4) as an induced minor. The surrounding results establish closure properties for the relevant class under generalized parallel connections and coning operations, but the stated characterization remains to be proved.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

James Dylan Douthitt and James Oxley, “Classes of binary matroids with small lists of excluded induced minors”, arXiv:2412.05739 (2024).

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