Fixed points of involutive automorphisms of the Bruhat order

Applying a classical theorem of Smith, we show that the poset property of being Gorenstein$^*$ over $\mathbb{Z}_2$ is inherited by the subposet of fixed points under an involutive poset automorphism. As an application, we prove that every interval in the Bruhat order on (twisted) involutions in an arbitrary Coxeter group has this property, and we find the rank function. This implies results conjectured by F. Incitti. We also show that the Bruhat order on the fixed points of an involutive automorphism induced by a Coxeter graph automorphism is isomorphic to the Bruhat order on the fixed subgroup viewed as a Coxeter group in its own right.Comment: 16 pages. Appendix added, minor revisions; to appear in Adv. Mat

A note on blockers in posets

The blocker $A^{*}$ of an antichain $A$ in a finite poset $P$ is the set of elements minimal with the property of having with each member of $A$ a common predecessor. The following is done: 1. The posets $P$ for which $A^{**}=A$ for all antichains are characterized. 2. The blocker $A^*$ of a symmetric antichain in the partition lattice is characterized. 3. Connections with the question of finding minimal size blocking sets for certain set families are discussed