In the noisy channel model from coding theory, we wish to detect errors introduced during transmission by optimizing various parameters of the code. Bennett, Dudek, and LaForge framed a variation of this problem in the language of alternating paths in edge-colored complete bipartite graphs in 2016. Here, we extend this problem to the random graph $\mathbb{G}(n,p)$. We seek the alternating connectivity, $κ_{r,\ell}(G)$, which is the maximum $t$ such that there is an $r$-edge-coloring of $G$ such that any pair of vertices is connected by $t$ internally disjoint and alternating (i.e. no consecutive edges of the same color) paths of length $\ell$. We have three main results about how this parameter behaves in $\mathbb{G}(n,p)$ that basically cover all ranges of $p$: one for paths of length two, one for the dense case, and one for the sparse case. For paths of length two, we found that $κ_{r,\ell}(G)$ is essentially the codegree of a pair of vertices. For the dense case when $p$ is constant, we were able to achieve the natural upper bounds of minimum degree (minus some intersection) or the total number of disjoint paths between a pair of vertices. For the sparse case, we were able to find colorings that achieved the natural obstructions of minimum degree or (in a slightly less precise result) the total number of paths of a certain length in a graph. We broke up this sparse case into ranges of $p$ corresponding to when $\mathbb{G}(n,p)$ has diameter $k$ or $k+1$. We close with some remarks about a similar parameter and a generalization to pseudorandom graphs.
We consider the set of alternating paths on a fixed fully packed loop of size n. This set is in bijection with the set of fully packed loops of size n. Furthermore, for a special choice of fully packed loop, we demonstrate that the set of alternating paths are nested osculating loops, which we call Dyck islands. Dyck islands can be constructed as a union of lattice Dyck paths, and we use this structure to give a simple graphical formula for the calculation of the inversion number of an alternating sign matrix.
We study $M$-alternating Hamilton paths and $M$-alternating Hamilton cycles in a simple connected graph $G$ on $ν$ vertices with a perfect matching $M$. Let $G$ be a bipartite graph, we prove that if for any two vertices $x$ and $y$ in different parts of $G$, $d(x)+d(y)\geq ν/2+2$, then $G$ has an $M$-alternating Hamilton cycle. For general graphs, a condition for the existence of an $M$-alternating Hamilton path starting and ending with edges in $M$ is put forward. Then we prove that if $κ(G)\geqν/2$, where $κ(G)$ denotes the connectivity of $G$, then $G$ has an $M$-alternating Hamilton cycle…
Let $C \subseteq [r]^m$ be a code such that any two words of $C$ have Hamming distance at least $t$. It is not difficult to see that determining a code $C$ with the maximum number of words is equivalent to finding the largest $n$ such that there is an $r$-edge-coloring of $K_{m, n}$ with the property that any pair of vertices in the class of size $n$ has at least $t$ alternating paths (with adjacent edges having different colors) of length $2$. In this paper we consider a more general problem from a slightly different direction. We are interested in finding maximum $t$ such that there is an $r…
Guibert and Linusson introduced the family of doubly alternating Baxter permutations, i.e. Baxter permutations $σ\in S_n$, such that $σ$ and $σ^{-1}$ are alternating. They proved that the number of such permutations in $S_{2n}$ and $S_{2n+1}$ is the Catalan number $C_n$. In this paper we explore the expected limit shape of such permutations, following the approach by Miner and Pak.
In this paper, we investigate statistics on alternating words under correspondence between ``possible reflection paths within several layers of glass'' and ``alternating words''. For $v=(v_1,v_2,\cdots,v_n)\in\mathbb{Z}^{n}$, we say $P$ is a path within $n$ glass plates corresponding to $v$, if $P$ has exactly $v_i$ reflections occurring at the $i^{\rm{th}}$ plate for all $i\in\{1,2,\cdots,n\}$. We give a recursion for the number of paths corresponding to $v$ satisfying $v \in \mathbb{Z}^n$ and $\sum_{i\geq 1} v_i=m$. Also, we establish recursions for statistics around the number of paths corr…
This article introduces and investigates a refinement of alternating sign trapezoids by means of Catalan objects and Motzkin paths. Alternating sign trapezoids are a generalisation of alternating sign triangles, which were recently introduced by Ayyer, Behrend and Fischer. We show that the number of alternating sign trapezoids associated with a Catalan object (resp. Motzkin path) is a polynomial function in the length of the shorter base of the trapezoid. We also study the rational roots of the polynomials and formulate several conjectures and derive some partial results. Lastly, we deduce a c…
We extend the conductance and canonical paths methods to the setting of general finite Markov chains, including non-reversible non-lazy walks. The new path method is used to show that a known bound for mixing time of a lazy walk on a Cayley graph with symmetric generating set also applies to the non-lazy non-symmetric case, often even when there is no holding probability.
A bipartite graph B is called a brace if it is connected and every matching of size at most two in B is contained in some perfect matching of B and a cycle C in B is called conformal if B-V(C) has a perfect matching. We show that there do not exist two disjoint alternating paths that form a cross over a conformal cycle C in a brace B if and only if one can reduce B, by an application of a matching theoretic analogue of small clique sums, to a planar brace H in which C bounds a face. We then utilise this result and provide a polynomial time algorithm which solves the 2-linkage problem for alter…
In this paper, we take interest in finding applications for a hook-length formula recently proved in (Morales Pak Panova 2016). This formula can be applied to give a non trivial relation between alternating permutations and weighted Dyck paths. First, we give an alternative proof for this result using continued fractions, and then we apply a similar reasoning to the more general case of $k$-alternating permutations.
Let $p(m)$ (respectively, $q(m)$) be the maximum number $k$ such that any tree with $m$ edges can be transformed by contracting edges (respectively, by removing vertices) into a caterpillar with $k$ edges. We derive closed-form expressions for $p(m)$ and $q(m)$ for all $m \ge 1$. The two functions $p(n)$ and $q(n)$ can also be interpreted in terms of alternating paths among $n$ disjoint line segments in the plane, whose $2n$ endpoints are in convex position.
A conjecture of the first two authors is that $n$ matchings of size $n$ in any graph have a rainbow matching of size $n-1$. We prove a lower bound of $\frac{2}{3}n-1$, improving on the trivial $\frac{1}{2}n$, and an analogous result for hypergraphs. For $\{C_3,C_5\}$-free graphs and for disjoint matchings we obtain a lower bound of $\frac{3n}{4}-O(1)$. We also discuss a conjecture on rainbow alternating paths, that if true would yield a lower bound of $n-\sqrt{2n}$. We prove the non-alternating (ordinary paths) version of this conjecture.
Recently Richard Stanley initiated a study of the distribution of the length as(w) of the longest alternating subsequence in a random permutation w from the symmetric group $S_n$. Among other things he found an explicit formula for the generating function (on n and k) for the probability that as(w) is at most k and conjectured that the distribution, suitably centered and normalized, tended to a Gaussian with variance 8/45. In this note we present a proof of the conjecture based on the generating function.
We define a bijection that transforms an alternating sign matrix A with one -1 into a pair (N,E) where N is a (so called) ``neutral'' alternating sign matrix (with one -1) and E is an integer. The bijection preserves the classical parameters of Mills, Robbins and Rumsey as well as three new parameters (including E). It translates vertical reflection of A into vertical reflection of N. A hidden symmetry allows the interchange of E with one of the remaining two new parameters. A second bijection transforms (N,E) into a configuration of lattice paths called ``mixed configuration''.
We prove that Fomin's generalization of Lindström's lemma for paths on acyclic directed graphs to walks on general directed graphs also generalizes a theorem of Stembridge in the same way. Moreover, we show that whenever a family of operations satisfies a Lindström-type determinant relation, a related family of operations satisfies a Stembridge-type Pfaffian relation. We give example applications to Kenyon and Wilson's work on groves and to Talaska's work on alternating flows.
The Gessel number $P(n,r)$ is the number of the paths in plane with $(1, 0)$ and $(0,1)$ steps from $(0,0)$ to $(n+r, n+r-1)$ that never touch any of the points from the set $\{(x,x)\in \mathbb{Z}^2: x\geq r\}$. We show that there is a close relationship between the Gessel numbers $P(n,r)$ and the super Catalan numbers $S(n,r)$. By using new sums, we prove that an alternating convolution of the Gessel numbers $P(n,r)$ is always divisible by \frac{1}{2}$S(n,r)$.
Let $P$ be a set of $2n$ points in convex position, such that $n$ points are colored red and $n$ points are colored blue. A non-crossing alternating path on $P$ of length $\ell$ is a sequence $p_1, \dots, p_\ell$ of $\ell$ points from $P$ so that (i) all points are pairwise distinct; (ii) any two consecutive points $p_i$, $p_{i+1}$ have different colors; and (iii) any two segments $p_i p_{i+1}$ and $p_j p_{j+1}$ have disjoint relative interiors, for $i \neq j$. We show that there is an absolute constant $\varepsilon > 0$, independent of $n$ and of the coloring, such that $P$ always admits a no…
We consider the alternating zeta function and the alternating $L$-function of a graph $G$, and express them by using the Ihara zeta function of $G$. Next, we define a generalized alternating zeta function of a graph, and express the generalized alternating zeta function of a vertex-transitive regular graph by spectra of the transition probability matrix of the symmetric simple random walk on it and its Laplacian. Furthermore, we present an integral expression for the limit of the generalized alternating zeta functions of a series of vertex-transitive regular graphs. As an example, we treat the…
A classical result of Euler states that the tangent numbers are an alternating sum of Eulerian numbers. A dual result of Roselle states that the secant numbers can be obtained by a signed enumeration of derangements. We show that both identities can be refined with the following statistics: the number of crossings in permutations and derangements, and the number of patterns 31-2 in alternating permutations. Using previous results of Corteel, Rubey, Prellberg, and the author, we derive closed formulas for both q-tangent and q-secant numbers. There are two different methods to obtain these formu…
Springer numbers are an analog of Euler numbers for the group of signed permutations. Arnol'd showed that they count some objects called snakes, that generalize alternating permutations. Hoffman established a link between Springer numbers, snakes, and some polynomials related with the successive derivatives of trigonometric functions. The goal of this article is to give further combinatorial properties of derivative polynomials, in terms of snakes and other objects: cycle-alternating permutations, weighted Dyck or Motzkin paths, increasing trees and forests. We obtain the generating functions,…
Pattern avoidance in alternating sign rectangles I: Extended avoidance
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics（卢布尔雅那大学数学物理学院）；Institute for Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics（数学、物理与力学研究所）；KTH Royal Institute of Technology（瑞典皇家理工学院）
A new $q$-analog of Genocchi numbers is introduced through a q-analog of Seidel's triangle associated to Genocchi numbers. It is then shown that these $q$-Genocchi numbers have interesting combinatorial interpretations in the classical models for Genocchi numbers such as alternating pistols, alternating permutations, non intersecting lattice paths and skew Young tableaux.
For a spanning tree T of a connected graph G and for a labelling ϕ: E(T) \rightarrow {+, -}, ϕis called an alternating sign on a spanning tree T of a graph G if for any cotree edge e \in E(G)-E(T), the unique path in T joining both end vertices of e has alternating signs. In the present note, we prove that any graph has a spanning tree T and an alternating sign on T.
We consider a graph with colored edges. A trail (vertices may repeat but not edges) is called \emph{alternating} when successive edges have different colors. Given a set of vertices called \emph{terminals}, the \emph{alternating reachability} problem is to find an alternating trail connecting distinct terminals, if one exists. A special case with two colors is searching for an augmenting path with respect to a given matching. In another special case with two colors red and blue, the \emph{alternating cone} is defined as the set of assignments of nonnegative weights to the edges such that at ea…
Let $LA_{n}(τ)$ be the length of the longest alternating subsequence of a uniform random permutation $τ\in[n]$. Classical probabilistic arguments are used to rederive the asymptotic mean, variance and limiting law of $LA_{n}(τ)$. Our methodology is robust enough to tackle similar problems for finite alphabet random words or even Markovian sequences in which case our results are mainly original. A sketch of how some cases of pattern restricted permutations can also be tackled with probabilistic methods is finally presented.
The six-vertex model is an important toy-model in statistical mechanics for two-dimensional ice with a natural parameter $Δ$. When $Δ= 0$, the so-called free-fermion point, the model is in natural correspondence with domino tilings of the Aztec diamond. Although this model is integrable for all $Δ$, there has been very little progress in understanding its statistics in the scaling limit for other values. In this work, we focus on the six-vertex model with domain wall boundary conditions at $Δ= 1/2$, where it corresponds to alternating sign matrices (ASMs). We consider the level lines in a heig…
The diameter of a graph is the maximum distance between pairs of vertices in the graph. A pair of vertices whose distance is equal to its diameter are called diametrically opposite vertices. The collection of shortest paths between diametrically opposite vertices are referred as diametral paths. In this work, we enumerate the number of diametral paths for Fibonacci cubes, Lucas cubes and Alternate Lucas cubes. We present bijective proofs that show that these numbers are related to alternating permutations and are enumerated by Euler numbers.
We establish three identities involving Dyck paths and alternating Motzkin paths, whose proofs are based on variants of the same bijection. We interpret these identities in terms of closed random walks on the halfline. We explain how these identities arise from combinatorial interpretations of certain properties of the $β$-Hermite and $β$-Laguerre ensembles of random matrix theory. We conclude by presenting two other identities obtained in the same way, for which finding combinatorial proofs is an open problem.
Given a line arrangement $\cal A$ with $n$ lines, we show that there exists a path of length $n^2/3 - O(n)$ in the dual graph of $\cal A$ formed by its faces. This bound is tight up to lower order terms. For the bicolored version, we describe an example of a line arrangement with $3k$ blue and $2k$ red lines with no alternating path longer than $14k$. Further, we show that any line arrangement with $n$ lines has a coloring such that it has an alternating path of length $Ω(n^2/ \log n)$. Our results also hold for pseudoline arrangements.
We show connection between Dyck paths with peaks of bounded height and random walks. The correspondence between a certain class of random walks and such Dyck paths allows us to develop a probabilistic perspective on Chebyshev polynomials.
The aim of this note is to prove that fluctuations of uniformly random alternating sign matrices (equivalently, configurations of the six-vertex model with domain wall boundary conditions) near the boundary are described by the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble and the GUE-corners process.
We present a new bijection between variants of $m$-Dyck paths (paths with steps in $\{+1,-m\}$ starting and ending at height $0$ and remaining at non-negative height), which generalizes a classical bijection between Dyck prefixes and pointed Łukasiewicz paths. As an application, we present a new random sampling procedure for $m$-Dyck paths with a linear time complexity and using a quasi-optimal number of random bits. This outperforms Devroye's algorithm, which uses $\mathcal O(n\log n)$ random bits.
We present a conjecture for the power-law exponent in the asymptotic number of types of plane curves as the number of self-intersections goes to infinity. In view of the description of prime alternating links as flype equivalence classes of plane curves, a similar conjecture is made for the asymptotic number of prime alternating knots. The rationale leading to these conjectures is given by quantum field theory. Plane curves are viewed as configurations of loops on a random planar lattices, that are in turn interpreted as a model of 2d quantum gravity with matter. The identification of the univ…
