The Tutte polynomial as a growth function (Q1818371)

We summarize with a series of excerpts (sometimes paraphrased) from the paper. The dollar game can be defined formally as follows. The graph \(G= (V,E)\) contains a distinctive vertex \(q\). A configuration on \((G,q)\) is an integer valued function \(s\) defined on \(V\) such that \(s(\nu)\geq 0\), \((\nu\neq q)\), and \(s(q)= -\sum_{\nu\neq q}s(\nu)\). A vertex \(\nu\neq q\) is said to be ready in a configuration \(s\) if \(s(\nu)\geq \deg(\nu)\). If \(\nu\) is ready in \(s\), then it can be fired, which results in a new configuration \(s'\) defined by \(s'(x)= s(x)+ v(x,\nu)\) if \(x\neq \nu\), and \(s'(\nu)= s(\nu)- \deg(\nu)+ 2v(\nu)\) where \(v(\nu)\) is the number of loops at \(\nu\) and \(v(x,\nu)\) is the number of edges joining \(x\) and \(\nu\). Thus, if \(G\) is simple then vertices adjacent to \(\nu\) gain one dollar each, vertices not adjacent to \(\nu\) are unaffected, and \(\nu\) itself loses \(\deg(\nu)\) dollars. The operator which takes \(s\) to \(s'\) is denoted by \(F_\nu\) and when \(\nu\neq q\), \(F_\nu\) is said to be legal for \(s\) if and only if \(s(\nu)\geq \deg(\nu)\). If no vertex \(\nu\neq q\) is ready in \(s\) then \(s\) is called a stable configuration. The author had previously shown [J. Algebr. Comb. 9, No. 1, 25-45 (1999; Zbl 0919.05027)] that starting from any configuration and firing vertices other than \(q\) a stable configuration will eventually occur. It follows that some configuration must be recurrent. A configuration that is both stable and recurrent on \((G,q)\) is said to be critical. The set of critical configurations can be given the structure of an abelian group. Each critical configuration can be assigned a positive weight, and the generating function that enumerates critical configurations according to weight is a partial evaluation of the Tutte polynomial of the graph. It is shown that the weight enumerator can also be interpreted as a growth function, which leads to the conclusion that the (partial) Tutte polynomial itself is a growth function.