Open Access

Günter M. Ziegler

• We study the higher Bruhat orders $B(n,k)$ of Manin & Schechtman [MaS] and - characterize them in terms of inversion sets, - identify them with the posets $U(C^{n+1,r},n+1)$ of uniform extensions of the alternating oriented matroids $C^{n,r}$ for $r:=n-k$ (that is, with the extensions of a cyclic hyperplane arrangement by a new oriented pseudoplane), - show that $B(n,k)$ is a lattice for $k =1$ and for $r\le 3$, but not in general, - show that $B(n,k)$ is ordered by inclusion of inversion sets for $k=1$ and for $r\le 4$. However, $B(8,3)$ is not ordered by inclusion. This implies that the partial order $B_\subseteq (n,k)$ defined by inclusion of inversion sets differs from $B(n,k)$ in general. We show that the proper part of $B_\subseteq (n,k)$ is homotopy equivalent to $S^{r-2}$. Consequently, - $B(n,k)\simeq S^{r-2}$ for $k=1$ and for $r\le 4$. In contrast to this, we find that the uniform extension poset of an affine hyperplane arrangement is in general not graded and not a lattice even for $r=3$, and that the proper part is not always homotopy equivalent to $S^{r(M)-2}$.