Wild triangles in 3-connected matroids (Q2477625)

The authors consider an extension of Tutte's Triangle Lemma by asking the question: Given a triangle \(T\) in a 3-connected matroid \(M\), when is it impossible to delete an element from \(T\) without either losing 3-connectivity or creating new unwanted 3-separations? A triangle \(T\) of a 3-connected matroid \(M\) is wild if, for all \(t\) in \(T\), either \(M\backslash t\) is not 3-connected, or \(M\backslash t\) is 3-connected and \(t\) exposes a 3-separation in \(M\). Hence, the task of the paper under review is to characterize wild triangles. The main result of the paper is the following: \textbf{Theorem.} Let \(T\) be a wild triangle of a 3-connected matroid \(M\) with at least twelve elements. Then \(T\) is a standard or costandard wild triangle, a triangle in a trident of \(M\), or an internal triangle of a fan of \(M\).