A generalization of the Whitney rank generating function

Abstract

AbstractThe Whitney quasi-rank generating function, which generalizes the Whitney rank generating function (or Tutte polynomial) of a graph, is introduced. It is found to include as special cases the weight enumerator of a (not necessarily linear) code, the percolation probability of an arbitrary clutter and a natural generalization of the chromatic polynomial. The crucial construction, essentially equivalent to one of Kung, is a means of associating, to any function, a rank-like function with suitable properties. Some of these properties, including connections with the Hadamard transform, are discussed.