We define a new statistic on the even hyperoctahedral groups which is a natural analogue of the odd length statistic recently defined and studied on Coxeter groups of types $A$ and $B$. We compute the signed (by length) generating function of this statistic over the whole group and over its maximal and some other quotients and show that it always factors nicely. We also present some conjectures.
In this paper, we start by giving the definitions and basic facts about hyperoctahedral number system. There is a natural correspondence between the integers expressed in the latter and the elements of the hyperoctahedral group when we use the inversion statistic on this group to code the signed permutations. We use this correspondence to define a way with which the signed permutations group can be ordered. With this classification scheme, we can find the r-th signed permutation from a given number r and vice versa without consulting the list in lexicographical order of the elements of the sig…
Phil Hanlon proved that the coefficients of the chromatic polynomial of a graph G are equal (up to sign) to the dimensions of the summands in a Hodge-type decomposition of the top homology of the coloring complex for G. We prove a type B analogue of this result for chromatic polynomials of signed graphs using hyperoctahedral Eulerian idempotents.
In a recent paper, Stasinski and Voll introduced a length-like statistic on hyperoctahedral groups and conjectured a product formula for this statistic's signed distribution over arbitrary quotients. Stasinski and Voll proved this conjecture for a few special types of quotients. We prove this conjecture in full, showing it holds for all quotients. In the case of signed permutations with at most one descent, this formula gives the Poincare polynomials for the varieties of symmetric matrices of a fixed rank.
We give a combinatorial description for the weak order on the hyperoctahedral group. This characterization is then used to analyze the order-theoretic properties of the shifted products of hyperoctahedral groups. It is shown that each shifted product is a disjoint union of some intervals, which can be convex embedded into a hyperoctahedral group. As an application, we investigate the monomial basis for the Hopf algebra $\mathfrak{H}Sym$ of signed permutations, related to the fundamental basis via Möbius inversion on the weak order on hyperoctahedral groups. It turns out that the image of a mon…
A general setting to study a certain type of formulas, expressing characters of the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ explicitly in terms of descent sets of combinatorial objects, has been developed by two of the authors. This theory is further investigated in this paper and extended to the hyperoctahedral group $B_n$. Key ingredients are a new formula for the irreducible characters of $B_n$, the signed quasisymmetric functions introduced by Poirier, and a new family of matrices of Walsh--Hadamard type. Applications include formulas for natural $B_n$-actions on coinvariant and exterior algebras…
A signed permutation π= π_1π_2 \ldots π_n in the hyperoctahedral group B_n is a word such that each π_i \in {-n, \ldots, -1, 1, \ldots, n} and {|π_1|, |π_2|, \ldots, |π_n|} = {1,2,\ldots,n}. An index i is a peak of πif π_{i-1}<π_i>π_{i+1} and P_B(π) denotes the set of all peaks of π. Given any set S, we define P_B(S,n) to be the set of signed permutations π\in B_n with P_B(π) = S. In this paper we are interested in the cardinality of the set P_B(S,n). In 2012, Billey, Burdzy and Sagan investigated the analogous problem for permutations in the symmetric group, S_n. In this paper we extend their…
Theta-vexillary signed permutations are elements in the hyperoctahedral group that index certain classes of degeneracy loci of type B and C. These permutations are described using triples of $s$-tuples of integers subject to specific conditions. The objective of this work is to present different characterizations of theta-vexillary signed permutations, describing them in terms of corners in the Rothe diagram and pattern avoidance.
The flag-major index "fmaj" and the classical length function "$\ell$" are used to construct two $q$-analogs of the generating polynomial for the hyperoctahedral group~$B_n$ by number of positive and negative fixed points (resp. pixed points). Specializations of those $q$-analogs are also derived dealing with signed derangements and desarrangements, as well as several classical results that were previously proved for the symmetric group.
The generating functions of the major index and of the flag-major index, with each of the one-dimensional characters over the symmetric and hyperoctahedral group, respectively, have simple product formulas. In this paper, we give a factorial-type formula for the generating function of the D-major index with sign over the Weyl groups of type D. This completes a picture which is now known for all the classical Weyl groups.
MacMahon's classic theorem states that the 'length' and 'major index' statistics are equidistributed on the symmetric group S_n. By defining natural analogues or generalizations of those statistics, similar equidistribution results have been obtained for the alternating group A_n by Regev and Roichman, for the hyperoctahedral group B_n by Adin, Brenti and Roichman, and for the group of even-signed permutations D_n by Biagioli. We prove analogues of MacMahon's equidistribution theorem for the group of signed even permutations and for its subgroup of even-signed even permutations.
We introduce a new statistic on the hyperoctahedral groups (Coxeter groups of type B), and give a conjectural formula for its signed distributions over arbitrary descent classes. The statistic is analogous to the classical Coxeter length function, and features a parity condition. For descent classes which are singletons the conjectured formula gives the Poincaré polynomials of the varieties of symmetric matrices of fixed rank. For several descent classes we prove the conjectural formula. For this we construct suitable "supporting sets" for the relevant generating functions. We prove cancellati…
Let n>0 be an integer and let B_{n} denote the hyperoctahedral group of rank n. The group B_{n} acts on the polynomial ring Q[x_{1},...,x_{n},y_{1},...,y_{n}] by signed permutations simultaneously on both of the sets of variables x_{1},...,x_{n} and y_{1},...,y_{n}. The invariant ring M^{B_{n}}:=Q[x_{1},...,x_{n},y_{1},...,y_{n}]^{B_{n}} is the ring of diagonally signed-symmetric polynomials. In this article we provide an explicit free basis of M^{B_{n}} as a module over the ring of symmetric polynomials on both of the sets of variables x_{1}^{2},..., x^{2}_{n} and y_{1}^{2},..., y^{2}_{n} usi…
Every irreducible odd dimensional representation of the $n$'th symmetric or hyperoctahedral group, when restricted to the $(n-1)$'th, has a unique irreducible odd-dimensional constituent. Furthermore, the subgraph induced by odd-dimensional representations in the Bratteli diagram of symmetric and hyperoctahedral groups is a binary tree with a simple recursive description. We survey the description of this tree, known as the Macdonald tree, for symmetric groups, from our earlier work. We describe analogous results for hyperoctahedral groups. A partition $λ$ of $n$ is said to be chiral if the co…
In order to study signed Eulerian numbers, we introduce permutations of a particular type, called parity-alternate permutations, because they take even and odd entries alternately. The objective of this paper is twofold. The first is to derive several properties of those permutations, by subdividing them into even and odd ones. The second is to discuss relationships between those and signed Eulerian numbers. Divisibility properties by prime powers are also deduced for signed Eulerian numbers and several related numbers.
I propose that most problems about circles (cycles, circuits) in ordinary graphs that have odd or even length find their proper setting in the theory of signed graphs, where each edge has a sign, $+$ or $-$. Even-circle and odd-circle problems correspond to questions about positive and negative circles in signed graphs. (The sign of a circle is the product of its edge signs.) I outline questions about circles in signed graphs, that seem natural and potentially important.
A signed graph is a pair $(G,Σ)$, where $G=(V,E)$ is a graph (in which parallel edges are permitted, but loops are not) with $V=\{1,...,n\}$ and $Σ\subseteq E$. The edges in $Σ$ are called odd and the other edges even. By $S(G,Σ)$ we denote the set of all symmetric $n\times n$ matrices $A=[a_{i,j}]$ with $a_{i,j}<0$ if $i$ and $j$ are connected by only even edges, $a_{i,j}>0$ if $i$ and $j$ are connected by only odd edges, $a_{i,j}\in \mathbb{R}$ if $i$ and $j$ are connected by both even and odd edges, $a_{i,j}=0$ if $i\not=j$ and $i$ and $j$ are non-adjacent, and $a_{i,i} \in \mathbb{R}$ for …
We give a signed generalization of Laurent's theorem that characterizes feasible positive semidefinite matrix completion problems in terms of metric polytopes. Based on this result, we give a characterization of the maximum rank completions of the signed positive semidefinite matrix completion problem for odd-$K_4$ minor free signed graphs. The analysis can also be used to bound the minimum rank over the completions and to characterize uniquely solvable completion problems for odd-$K_4$ minor free signed graphs. As a corollary we derive a characterization of the universal rigidity of odd-$K_4$…
We show that a rectangle can be signed tiled by ribbon L n-ominoes, n odd, if and only if it has a side divisible by n. A consequence of our technique, based on the exhibition of an explicit Groebner basis, is that any k-inflated copy of the skewed L n-omino has a signed tiling by skewed L n-ominoes. We also discuss regular tilings by ribbon L n-ominoes, n odd, for rectangles and more general regions. We show that in this case obstructions appear that are not detected by signed tilings.
This paper builds on two covering Hopf algebras of the Hopf algebra QSym of quasi-symmetric functions, with linear bases parameterized by compositions. One is the Malvenuto-Reutenauer Hopf algebra SSym of permutations, mapped onto QSym by taking descents of permutations. The other one is the recently introduced Hopf algebra RQSym of weak quasi-symmetric functions, mapped onto QSym by extracting compositions from weak compositions. We extend these two surjective Hopf algebra homomorphisms into a commutative diagram by introducing a Hopf algebra HSym, linearly spanned by signed permutations from…
A signed graph is a pair $(G,Σ)$, where $G=(V,E)$ is a graph (in which parallel edges are permitted, but loops are not) with $V=\{1,\ldots,n\}$ and $Σ\subseteq E$. The edges in $Σ$ are called odd and the other edges of $E$ even. By $S(G,Σ)$ we denote the set of all symmetric $n\times n$ matrices $A=[a_{i,j}]$ with $a_{i,j}<0$ if $i$ and $j$ are adjacent and connected by only even edges, $a_{i,j}>0$ if $i$ and $j$ are adjacent and connected by only odd edges, $a_{i,j}\in \mathbb{R}$ if $i$ and $j$ are connected by both even and odd edges, $a_{i,j}=0$ if $i\not=j$ and $i$ and $j$ are non-adjacen…
The numbers of even and odd permutations with a given ascent number are investigated using an operator that was previously introduced by the author. Their difference is called a signed Eulerian number. By means of the operator the recurrence relation for signed Eulerian numbers is deduced, which was obtained by an analytic method. Our approach is straightforward and enables us to deduce other properties including divisibility by prime powers.
A signed edge domination function (or SEDF) of a simple graph $G=(V,E)$ is a function $f: E\rightarrow \{1,-1\}$ such that $\sum_{e'\in N[e]}f(e')\ge 1$ holds for each edge $e\in E$, where $N[e]$ is the set of edges in $G$ that share at least one endpoint with $e$. Let $γ_s'(G)$ denote the minimum value of $f(G)$ among all SEDFs $f$, where $f(G)=\sum_{e\in E}f(e)$.In 2005, Xu conjectured that $γ_s'(G)\le n-1$, where $n$ is the order of $G$. This conjecture has been proved for the two cases $v_{odd}(G)=0$ and $v_{even}(G)=0$, where $v_{odd}(G)$ (resp. $v_{even}(G)$) is the number of odd (resp. …
We study symmetric polynomials whose variables are odd-numbered Jucys-Murphy elements. They define elements of the Hecke algebra associated to the Gelfand pair of the symmetric group with the hyperoctahedral group. We evaluate their expansions in zonal spherical functions and in double coset sums. These evaluations are related to integrals of polynomial functions over orthogonal groups. Furthermore, we give an extension of them, based on Jack polynomials.
A signed graph is a pair $(G,Σ)$, where $G=(V,E)$ is a graph (in which parallel edges and loops are permitted) with $V=\{1,\ldots,n\}$ and $Σ\subseteq E$. The edges in $Σ$ are called odd edges and the other edges of $E$ even. By $S(G,Σ)$ we denote the set of all symmetric $n\times n$ real matrices $A=[a_{i,j}]$ such that if $a_{i,j} < 0$, then there must be an even edge connecting $i$ and $j$; if $a_{i,j} > 0$, then there must be an odd edge connecting $i$ and $j$; and if $a_{i,j} = 0$, then either there must be an odd edge and an even edge connecting $i$ and $j$, or there are no edges connect…
We define a new statistic on any Weyl group which we call the odd length and which reduces, for Weyl groups of types $A$, $B$, and $D$, the the statistics by the same name that have already been defined and studied in [10], [13], [14], and [3]. We show that the signed (by length) generating function of the odd length always factors nicely except possibly in type $E_8$, and we obtain multivariate analogues of these factorizations in types $B$ and $D$.
It is known that, for any $k$-list assignment $L$ of a graph $G$, the number of $L$-list colorings of $G$ is at least the number of the proper $k$-colorings of $G$ when $k>(m-1)/\ln(1+\sqrt{2})$. In this paper, we extend the Whitney's broken cycle theorem to $L$-colorings of signed graphs, by which we show that if $k> \binom{m}{3}+\binom{m}{4}+m-1$ then, for any $k$-assignment $L$, the number of $L$-colorings of a signed graph $Σ$ with $m$ edges is at least the number of the proper $k$-colorings of $Σ$. Further, if $L$ is $0$-free (resp., $0$-included) and $k$ is even (resp., odd), then the lo…
Tutte initiated the study of nowhere-zero flows and proved the following fundamental theorem: For every graph $G$ there is a polynomial $f$ so that for every abelian group $Γ$ of order $n$, the number of nowhere-zero $Γ$-flows in $G$ is $f(n)$. For signed graphs (which have bidirected orientations), the situation is more subtle. For a finite group $Γ$, let $ε_2(Γ)$ be the largest integer $d$ so that $Γ$ has a subgroup isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}_2^d$. We prove that for every signed graph $G$ and $d \ge 0$ there is a polynomial $f_d$ so that $f_d(n)$ is the number of nowhere-zero $Γ$-flows in $G$…
A nowhere-zero $k$-flow on a graph $Γ$ is a mapping from the edges of $Γ$ to the set $\{\pm1, \pm2, ..., \pm(k-1)\} \subset \bbZ$ such that, in any fixed orientation of $Γ$, at each node the sum of the labels over the edges pointing towards the node equals the sum over the edges pointing away from the node. We show that the existence of an \emph{integral flow polynomial} that counts nowhere-zero $k$-flows on a graph, due to Kochol, is a consequence of a general theory of inside-out polytopes. The same holds for flows on signed graphs. We develop these theories, as well as the related counting …
A signed graph $(G, σ)$ is a graph $G$ along with a function $σ: E(G) \to \{+,-\}$. A closed walk of a signed graph is positive (resp., negative) if it has an even (resp., odd) number of negative edges, counting repetitions. A homomorphism of a (simple) signed graph to another signed graph is a vertex-mapping that preserves adjacencies and signs of closed walks. The signed chromatic number of a signed graph $(G, σ)$ is the minimum number of vertices $|V(H)|$ of a signed graph $(H, π)$ to which $(G, σ)$ admits a homomorphism.Homomorphisms of signed graphs have been attracting growing attention …
Let $\mathcal{T}_n$ be the set of ribbon $L$-shaped $n$-ominoes for some $n\ge 4$ even, and let $\mathcal{T}_n^+$ be $\mathcal{T}_n$ with an extra $2\times 2$ square. We investigate signed tilings of rectangles by $\mathcal{T}_n$ and $\mathcal{T}_n^+$. We show that a rectangle has a signed tiling by $\mathcal{T}_n$ if and only if both sides of the rectangle are even and one of them is divisible by $n$, or if one of the sides is odd and the other side is divisible by $n\left (\frac{n}{2}-2\right ).$ We also show that a rectangle has a signed tiling by $\mathcal{T}_n^+, n\ge 6$ even, if and only…
In this paper we study the characters of sequences of representations of any of the three families of classical Weyl groups W_n: the symmetric groups, the signed permutation groups (hyperoctahedral groups), or the even-signed permutation groups. Our results extend work of Church, Ellenberg, Farb, and Nagpal on the symmetric groups. We use the concept of an FI_W-module, an algebraic object that encodes the data of a sequence of W_n-representations with maps between them, defined in the author's recent work ArXiv:1309.3817. We show that if a sequence {V_n} of W_n-representations has the structur…
Adinkras are signed graphs used to study supersymmetry in physics. We provide an introduction to these objects, and study the properties of their signed adjacency and signed Laplacian matrices. These matrices each have exactly two distinct eigenvalues (of equal multiplicity), making Adinkras closely related to the notions of strongly regular graphs. We also study the critical groups of Adinkras, and in particular determine their odd components. A novel technique of independent interest is used which considers critical groups over polynomial rings.
As an extension of the Four-Color Theorem it is conjectured that every planar graph of odd-girth at least $2k+1$ admits a homomorphism to $PC_{2k}=(\mathbb{Z}_2^{2k}, \{e_1, e_2, ...,e_{2k}, J\})$ where $e_i$'s are standard basis and $J$ is all 1 vector. Noting that $PC_{2k}$ itself is of odd-girth $2k+1$, in this work we show that if the conjecture is true, then $PC_{2k}$ is an optimal such a graph both with respect to number of vertices and number of edges. The result is obtained using the notion of walk-power of graphs and their clique numbers. An analogous result is proved for bipartite si…
