A topological framework for signed permutations

Abstract

In this paper, we present a topological framework for studying signed permutations and their reversal distance. This framework is based on a presentation of orientable and non-orientable fatgraphs via sectors. As an application, we give an alternative approach and interpretation of the Hannenhalli–Pevzner formula for the reversal distance of sorting signed permutations. This is obtained by constructing a bijection between signed permutations and certain equivalence classes of fatgraphs, called π-maps. We study the action of reversals and show that they either splice, glue or half-flip external vertices, which implies that any reversal changes the topological genus by at most one. We show that the lower bound of the reversal distance of a signed permutation equals the topological genus of its π-maps. We then discuss how the new topological model connects to other sorting problems.