Intervals and factors in the Bruhat order

In this paper we study those generic intervals in the Bruhat order of the symmetric group that are isomorphic to the principal order ideal of a permutation w, and consider when the minimum and maximum elements of those intervals are related by a certain property of their reduced words. We show that the property does not hold when w is a decomposable permutation, and that the property always holds when w is the longest permutation.Comment: to appear in DMTC

Pattern Avoidance and the Bruhat Order

The structure of order ideals in the Bruhat order for the symmetric group is elucidated via permutation patterns. A method for determining non-isomorphic principal order ideals is described and applied for small lengths. The permutations with boolean principal order ideals are characterized. These form an order ideal which is a simplicial poset, and its rank generating function is computed. Moreover, the permutations whose principal order ideals have a form related to boolean posets are also completely described. It is determined when the set of permutations avoiding a particular set of patterns is an order ideal, and the rank generating functions of these ideals are computed. Finally, the Bruhat order in types B and D is studied, and the elements with boolean principal order ideals are characterized and enumerated by length.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure