Quasi-tree expansion for the Bollob\'as-Riordan-Tutte polynomial

Abstract

Oriented ribbon graphs (dessins d'enfant) are graphs embedded in oriented surfaces. The Bollob\'as-Riordan-Tutte polynomial is a three-variable polynomial that extends the Tutte polynomial to oriented ribbon graphs. A quasi-tree of a ribbon graph is a spanning subgraph with one face, which is described by an ordered chord diagram. We generalize the spanning tree expansion of the Tutte polynomial to a quasi-tree expansion of the Bollob\'as-Riordan-Tutte polynomial.