Truncation formulas for invariant polynomials of matroids and geometric lattices

This paper considers the truncation of matroids and geometric lattices. It is shown that the truncated matroid of a representable matroid is again representable. Truncation formulas are given for the coboundary and Möbius polynomial of a geometric lattice and the spectrum polynomial of a matroid, generalizing the truncation formula of the rank generating polynomial of a matroid by Britz. Keywords: Matroid theory – Geometric lattice – Invariant polynomials