A generalization of Rota's NBC theorem (Q1891290)

The Möbius function of a lattice is the function \(\mu: L\to \mathbb{Z}\) which is uniquely defined by the equations \[ \sum_{y\leq x} \mu(y)= \delta_{\widehat O x} \] where the right side is the Kronecker delta and \(\mathbb{Z}\) is the set of integers. In this paper, the author generalizes Rota's theorem characterizing the Möbius function of a geometric (atomic and semimodular) lattice in terms of subsets of atoms which contain no broken circuit. The main theorem of this paper gives a characterization of the Möbius function of those lattices which satisfy a simple condition. If \(C\) is a circuit let \(\overline C= C\backslash c\) be the corresponding broken circuit where \(c\) is the smallest atom in \(C\) with respect to a total ordering of the atoms of \(L\). The theorem now reads: Let \(L\) be a finite lattice. Let \(\trianglelefteq\) be any total ordering of the atoms of \(L\) such that for all broken circuits \(\overline C= C\backslash e\) we have that the join of \(\overline C\) is equal to the join of \(C\). Then for all \(x\in L\) we have \[ \mu(x)= \sum_B (- 1)^{|B|} \] where the sum is over all no broken circuit bases \(B\) of \(x\). This theorem can be applied to the weak Bruhat order of a finite Coxeter group and the Tamari lattices.