On uniform \(f\)-vectors of cutsets in the truncated Boolean lattice (Q1586331)

Let \(2^{[n]}\) be the Boolean lattice, i.e. the lattice of subsets of \([n]:=\{1,\dots,n\}\), ordered by inclusion. A family \(\mathcal C\subseteq 2^{[n]}\) is called a cutset if it meets every maximal chain in \(2^{[n]}\). The profile of \(\mathcal C\) is a vector \(f=(f_0,\dots,f_n)\) where \(f_i:=|\{X\in \mathcal C:|X|=i\}|\). Let \(g_n(m,\ell)\) be the smallest value of \(k\) for which the \((n+1)\)-tuple \((f_0,\dots, f_n)\), defined by \(f_i=k\) if \(m\leq i\leq \ell\) and 0 otherwise, can be the profile of a cutset in \(2^{[n]}\). The authors prove: \[ \begin{alignedat}{2} g_n(m,m+1) &=\begin{pmatrix} n-1 \\ m\end{pmatrix} , \quad & & 0\leq m\leq n-1, \\ g_n(m,m+2) & = \sum^m_{j=0} \begin{pmatrix} n-2j-2\\ m-j \end{pmatrix}, \quad & & 0\leq m\leq \frac n2 -1 . \end{alignedat} \] Moreover, if \(\frac nm\) is sufficiently large, \[ \begin{gathered} \begin{pmatrix} n-2\\ m \end{pmatrix} <g_n(m,\ell) \leq \sum^m_{j=0} \begin{pmatrix} n-2j-2\\ m-j \end{pmatrix} , \quad m+2\leq \ell \leq n-m-1, \\ \begin{pmatrix} n-3\\ m \end{pmatrix} <g_n(m,n-m)\leq \sum^m_{j=0} \begin{pmatrix} n-2j-3\\m-j\end{pmatrix}. \end{gathered} \] These numerical results are derived from a qualitativ description of the possible cutset-profiles using compression and canonical forms. The authors conjecture that for sufficiently large \(\frac nm\) \[ g_n(m,\ell) = \begin{pmatrix} n\\ m \end{pmatrix} -\begin{pmatrix} n\\ m-1\end{pmatrix}, \quad 2m\leq \ell\leq n-m-1, \] \[ g_n(m,n-m)=\begin{pmatrix} n-1\\ m\end{pmatrix} -\begin{pmatrix} n-1\\ m-1\end{pmatrix} . \]