Matroid packing and covering with circuits through an element (Q2581505)

This paper considers the set \({\mathcal C}_\ell (M)\) of circuits through a fixed element \(e\) such that \(M/e\) is connected. Let \(v_e(M)\) be the maximum size of a subset of \({\mathcal C}_\ell (M)\) in which any two distinct members meet only in \(\{e\}\). Let \(\theta_e(M)\) be the minimum size of a subset of \({\mathcal C}_\ell (M)\) that covers \(M\). The main result proves that \(v_e(M) +\theta_e(M) \leq r^*(M) +2\); moreover, if \(M\) has no Fano-minor using \(e\), then \(v_e(M) + \theta_e(M) \leq r^*(M) +1\). The bounds in this theorem are sharp, the first being attained by all odd-rank binary spikes having \(e\) as a tip, and the second by all free spikes where again \(e\) is the tip. A consequence of the main result is a theorem of \textit{P. D. Seymour} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 28, 237--242 (1980; Zbl 0448.05022)].