A Tutte polynomial for maps
Abstract
We follow the example of Tutte in his construction of the dichromate of a graph (that is, the Tutte polynomial) as a unification of the chromatic polynomial and the flow polynomial in order to construct a new polynomial invariant of maps (graphs embedded in orientable surfaces). We call this the surface Tutte polynomial. The surface Tutte polynomial of a map contains the Las Vergnas polynomial, Bollob\'as-Riordan polynomial and Kruskhal polynomial as specializations. By construction, the surface Tutte polynomial includes among its evaluations the number of local tensions and local flows taking values in any given finite group. Other evaluations include the number of quasi-forests.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1610.04486,
title = {A Tutte polynomial for maps},
author = {Andrew Goodall and Thomas Krajewski and Guus Regts and Lluis Vena},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1610.04486},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
32 pages, 4 figures. Version 2 contains updated grant information for the author A.Goodall (and no other changes)