New inequalities for subspace arrangements

Abstract

For each positive integer $n \geq 4$, we give an inequality satisfied by rank functions of arrangements of $n$ subspaces. When $n=4$ we recover Ingleton's inequality; for higher $n$ the inequalities are all new. These inequalities can be thought of as a hierarchy of necessary conditions for a (poly)matroid to be realizable. Some related open questions about the "cone of realizable polymatroids" are also presented.