How is a Chordal Graph like a Supersolvable Binary Matroid?

Abstract

Let G be a finite simple graph. From the pioneering work of R. P. Stanley it is known that the cycle matroid of G is supersolvable iff G is chordal (rigid): this is another way to read Dirac's theorem on chordal graphs. Chordal binary matroids are not in general supersolvable. Nevertheless we prove that, for every supersolvable binary matroid M, a maximal chain of modular flats of M canonically determines a chordal graph.

10 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Discrete Mathematics