Orlik-Solomon algebras and Tutte polynomials

The $OS$ algebra $A$ of a matroid $M$ is a graded algebra related to the Whitney homology of the lattice of flats of $M$. In case $M$ is the underlying matroid of a hyperplane arrangement \A in $\C^r$, $A$ is isomorphic to the cohomology algebra of the complement $\C^r\setminus \bigcup \A.$ Few examples are known of pairs of arrangements with non-isomorphic matroids but isomorphic $OS$ algebras. In all known examples, the Tutte polynomials are identical, and the complements are homotopy equivalent but not homeomorphic. We construct, for any given simple matroid $M_0$, a pair of infinite families of matroids $M_n$ and $M'_n$, $n\geq 1$, each containing $M_0$ as a submatroid, in which corresponding pairs have isomorphic $OS$ algebras. If the seed matroid $M_0$ is connected, then $M_n$ and $M'_n$ have different Tutte polynomials. As a consequence of the construction, we obtain, for any $m$, $m$ different matroids with isomorphic $OS$ algebras. Suppose one is given a pair of central complex hyperplane arrangements $\A_0$ and $\A_1$. Let $\S$ denote the arrangement consisting of the hyperplane $\{0\}$ in $\C^1$. We define the parallel connection $P(\A_0,\A_1)$, an arrangement realizing the parallel connection of the underlying matroids, and show that the direct sums $\A_0 \oplus \A_1$ and $\S\oplus P(\A_0,\A_1)$ have diffeomorphic complements.