The equivalence of two graph polynomials and a symmetric function

Abstract

The U-polynomial, the polychromate and the symmetric function generalization of the Tutte polynomial due to Stanley are known to be equivalent in the sense that the coefficients of any one of them can be obtained as a function of the coefficients of any other. The definition of each of these functions suggests a natural way in which to strengthen them which also captures Tutte's universal V-function as a specialization. We show that the equivalence remains true for the strong functions thus answering a question raised by Dominic Welsh.