A note on the connectivity of 2-polymatroid minors (Q2335691)

Summary: \textit{T. Brylawski} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 171, 235--282 (1972; Zbl 0224.05007)] and \textit{P. D. Seymour} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 22, 289--295 (1977; Zbl 0385.05021)] independently proved that if \(M\) is a connected matroid with a connected minor \(N\), and \(e \in E(M) - E(N)\), then \(M \backslash e\) or \(M / e\) is connected having \(N\) as a minor. This paper proves an analogous but somewhat weaker result for \(2\)-polymatroids. Specifically, if \(M\) is a connected \(2\)-polymatroid with a proper connected minor \(N\), then there is an element \(e\) of \(E(M) - E(N)\) such that \(M \backslash e\) or \(M / e\) is connected having \(N\) as a minor. We also consider what can be said about the uniqueness of the way in which the elements of \(E(M) - E(N)\) can be removed so that connectedness is always maintained.