On growth rates of permutations, set partitions, ordered graphs and other objects

Abstract

For classes O of structures on finite linear orders (permutations, ordered graphs etc.) endowed with containment order cont (containment of permutations, subgraph relation etc.), we investigate restrictions on the function f(n) counting objects with size n in a lower ideal in (O, cont). We present a framework of edge P-colored complete graphs (C(P), cont) which includes many of these situations, and we prove for it two such restrictions (jumps in growth): f(n) is eventually constant or f(n) >= n for all n>0; f(n)<n^c for all n>0 for a constant c>0 or f(n) >= F_n for all n>0, F_n being the Fibonacci numbers. This generalizes a fragment of a more detailed theorem of Balogh, Bollobas and Morris on hereditary properties of ordered graphs.