Fan-extensions in fragile matroids (Q2346469)

Summary: If \(\mathcal{S}\) is a set of matroids, then the matroid \(M\) is \(\mathcal{S}\)-fragile if, for every element \(e\in E(M)\), either \(M\backslash e\) or \(M/e\) has no minor isomorphic to a member of \(\mathcal{S}\). Excluded-minor characterizations often depend, implicitly or explicitly, on understanding classes of fragile matroids. In certain cases, when \(\mathcal{M}\) is a minor-closed class of \(\mathcal{S}\)-fragile matroids, and \(N\in \mathcal{M}\), the only members of \(\mathcal{M}\) that contain \(N\) as a minor are obtained from \(N\) by increasing the length of fans. We prove that if this is the case, then we can certify it with a finite case-analysis. The analysis involves examining matroids that are at most two elements larger than \(N\).