We show the existence of a unital subalgebra of the symmetric group algebra linearly spanned by sums of permutations with a common peak set, which we call the peak algebra. We show that this algebra is the image of the descent algebra of type B under the map to the descent algebra of type A which forgets the signs, and also the image of the descent algebra of type D. The peak algebra contains a two sided ideal which is defined in terms of interior peaks. This object was introduced in previous work by Nyman; we find that it is the image of certain ideals of the descent algebras of types B and D introduced in previous work of N. Bergeron et al. We derive an exact sequence involving the peak ideal and the peak algebras of degrees $n$ and $n-2$. We obtain this and many other properties of the peak algebra and its peak ideal by first establishing analogous results for signed permutations and then forgetting the signs. In particular, we construct two new commutative semisimple subalgebras of the descent algebra by grouping permutations according to their number of peaks or interior peaks. We discuss the Hopf algebraic structures that exist on the direct sums of these spaces over $n\geq 0$ and explain the connection with previous work of Stembridge; we also obtain new properties of his descents-to-peaks map and construct a type B analog.
Extending the descent-to-peak map and its applications
Shandong University（山东大学）；Research Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Shandong University（山东大学数学交叉前沿研究中心）；Frontiers Science Center for Nonlinear Expectations, Ministry of Education（教育部非线性期望前沿科学中心）
Descent polynomials and peak polynomials, which enumerate permutations with given descent and peak sets respectively, have recently received considerable attention. We give several formulas for $q$-analogs of these polynomials which refine the enumeration by the length of the permutations. In the case of $q$-descent polynomials we prove that the coefficients in one basis are strongly $q$-log concave, and conjecture this property in another basis. For peaks, we prove that the $q$-peak polynomial is palindromic in $q$, resolving a conjecture of Diaz-Lopez, Harris, and Insko.
A ballot permutation is a permutation $π$ such that in any prefix of $π$ the descent number is not more than the ascent number. By using a reversal concatenation map, we give a formula for the joint distribution (pk, des) of the peak and descent statistics over ballot permutations, and connect this distribution and the joint distribution (pk, dp, des) of the peak, depth, and descent statistics over ordinary permutations in terms of generating functions. As corollaries, we obtain several formulas for the bivariate generating function for (i) the peak statistic over ballot permutations,(ii) the …
We show that the distribution of the number of peaks at height $i$ modulo $k$ in $k$-Dyck paths of a given length is independent of $i\in[0,k-1]$ and is the reversal of the distribution of the total number of peaks. Moreover, these statistics, together with the number of double descents, are jointly equidistributed with any of their permutations. We also generalize this result to generalized Motzkin paths and generalized ballot paths.
We first show that increasing trees are in bijection with set compositions, extending simultaneously a recent result on trees due to Tonks and a classical result on increasing binary trees. We then consider algebraic structures on the linear span of set compositions (the twisted descent algebra). Among others, a number of enveloping algebra structures are introduced and studied in detail. For example, it is shown that the linear span of trees carries an enveloping algebra structure and embeds as such in an enveloping algebra of increasing trees. All our constructions arise naturally from the g…
This paper is concerned with the joint distribution of the number of exterior peaks and the number of proper double descents over permutations on $[n] =\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$. The notion of exterior peaks of a permutation was introduced by Aguiar, Bergeron and Nyman in their study of the peak algebra. Gessel obtained the generating function of the number of permutations on $[n]$ with a given number of exterior peaks. On the other hand, by establishing differential equations, Elizalde and Noy derived the generating function for the number of permutations on $[n]$ with a given number of proper double…
We prove that the group algebra of the hyperoctahedral group contains a subalgebra corresponding to the flag descent number of Adin, Brenti, and Roichman. This algebra is in fact the span of the basis elements of the type A and type B Eulerian descent algebras. We describe a set of orthogonal idempotents which spans the flag descent algebra and prove that it contains the type A Eulerian descent algebra as a two-sided ideal. Using a new colored analogue of Stanley's $P$-partitions, we prove the existence of a colored Eulerian descent algebra which is a subalgebra of the Mantaci-Reutenauer algeb…
There is a well-known combinatorial definition, based on ordered set partitions, of the semigroup of faces of the braid arrangement. We generalize this definition to obtain a semigroup Sigma_n^G associated with G wr S_n, the wreath product of the symmetric group S_n with an arbitrary group G. Techniques of Bidigare and Brown are adapted to construct an anti-homomorphism from the S_n-invariant subalgebra of the semigroup algebra of Sigma_n^G into the group algebra of G wr S_n. The generalized descent algebras of Mantaci and Reutenauer are obtained as homomorphic images when G is abelian.
The descent algebra of finite Coxeter groups is studied by many famous mathematicians like Bergeron, Brown, Howlett, or Reutenauer. Blessenohl, Hohlweg, and Schocker, for example, proved a symmetry property of the descent algebra, when it is linked to the representation theory of its Coxeter group. The interest is particularly showed for the descent algebra of symmetric group. Thibon determined the eigenvalues and their multiplicities of the action on the group algebra of symmetric group of the descent algebra element, which is the sum over all permutations weighted by q^maj. And even the auth…
We generalize Stembridge's enriched $P$-partitions and use this theory to outline the structure of peak algebras for the symmetric group and the hyperoctahedral group. Whereas Stembridge's enriched $P$-partitions are related to quasisymmetric functions (the coalgebra dual to Solomon's type A descent algebra), our generalized enriched $P$-partitions are related to type B quasisymmetric functions (the coalgebra dual to Solomon's type B descent algebra). Using these functions, we explore three different peak algebras: the "interior" and "left" peak algebras of type A, and a new type B peak algebr…
Using a new colored analogue of P-partitions, we prove the existence of a colored Eulerian descent algebra which is a subalgebra of the Mantaci-Reutenauer algebra. This algebra has a basis consisting of formal sums of colored permutations with the same number of descents (using Steingrímsson's definition of the descent set of a colored permutation). The colored Eulerian descent algebra extends familiar Eulerian descent algebras from the symmetric group algebra and the hyperoctahedral group algebra to colored permutation group algebras. We also describe a set of orthogonal idempotents that span…
The concept of descent algebras over a field of characteristic zero is extended to define descent algebras over a field of prime characteristic. Some basic algebraic structure of the latter, including its radical and irreducible modules, is then determined. The decomposition matrix of the descent algebras of Coxeter group types $A$, $B$, and $D$ are calculated, and used to derive a description of the decomposition matrix of an arbitrary descent algebra. The Cartan matrix of a variety of descent algebras over a finite field is then obtained.
We establish simple combinatorial descriptions of the radical and irreducible representations specifically for the descent algebra of a Coxeter group of type $D$ over any field.
Here we give a combinatorial interpretation of Solomon's rule for multiplication in the descent algebra of Weyl groups of type $D$, $ΣD_n$. From here we show that $ΣD_n$ is a homomorphic image of the descent algebra of the hyperoctahedral group, $ΣB_{n-2}$.
The purpose of the present article is to define and study a new class of descent algebras, called twisted descent algebras. These algebras are associated to the Barratt-Joyal theory of twisted bialgebras in the same way than classical descent algebras are associated to classical bialgebras. The formal properties of twisted descent algebras seem particularly meaningful in view of applications to discrete probabilities, to the geometry of Coxeter groups and buildings, and to symmetric group combinatorics.
The descent algebra of the symmetric group, over a field of non-zero characteristic p, is studied. A homomorphism into the algebra of generalised p-modular characters of the symmetric group is defined. This is then used to determine the radical, and its nilpotency index. It also allows the irreducible representations of the descent algebra to be described.
We study the quiver of the descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group W. The results include a derivation of the quiver of the descent algebra of types A and B. Our approach is to study the descent algebra as an algebra constructed from the reflection arrangement associated to W.
The number of alternating runs is a natural permutation statistic. We show it can be used to define some commutative subalgebras of the symmetric group algebra, and more precisely of the descent algebra. The Eulerian peak algebras naturally appear as subalgebras of our run algebras. We also calculate the orthogonal idempotents for run algebras in terms of noncommutative symmetric functions.
We construct a subalgebra of dimension $2.3^{n-1}$ of the group algebra of a Weyl group of type $B_n$ containing its Solomon descent's algebra but also the Solomon's descent algebra of the symmetric group. This lead us to a construction of the irreducible characters of the hyperoctahedral groups by using a generalized plactic equivalence.
Descents in permutations or words are defined from the relative position of two consecutive letters. We investigate a statistic involving patterns of k consecutive letters, and show that it leads to Hopf algebras generalizing noncommutative symmetric functions and quasi-symmetric functions.
Louis Solomon showed that the group algebra of the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_{n}$ has a subalgebra called the descent algebra, generated by sums of permutations with a given descent set. In fact, he showed that every Coxeter group has something that can be called a descent algebra. There is also a commutative, semisimple subalgebra of Solomon's descent algebra generated by sums of permutations with the same number of descents: an "Eulerian" descent algebra. For any Coxeter group that is also a Weyl group, Paola Cellini proved the existence of a different Eulerian subalgebra based on a modi…
The Loewy length of the descent algebra of type D_{2m+1} is shown to be m+2, for m \geq 2, by providing an upper bound that agrees with the lower bound in \cite{BonnafePfeiffer2006}. The bound is obtained by showing that the length of the longest path in the quiver of the descent algebra of D_{2m+1} is at most m+1. To achieve this bound, the geometric approach to the descent algebra is used, in which the descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group is identified with an algebra associated to the reflection arrangement of the group.
Let $n$ be a nonnegative integer and $I$ be a finite set of positive integers. In 1915, MacMahon proved that the number of permutations in the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ with descent set $I$ is a polynomial in $n$. We call this the descent polynomial. However, basic properties of these polynomials such as a description of their coefficients and roots do not seem to have been studied in the literature. Much more recently, in 2013, Billey, Burdzy, and Sagan showed that the number of elements of $\mathfrak{S}_n$ with peak set $I$ is a polynomial in $n$ times a certain power of two. Since th…
If $A$ is a subset of the set of reflections of a finite Coxeter group $W$, we define a sub-${\mathbb{Z}}$-module ${\mathcal{D}}_A(W)$ of the group algebra ${\mathbb{Z}} W$. We provide examples where this submodule is a subalgebra. This family of subalgebras includes strictly the Solomon descent algebra and, if $W$ if of type $B$, the Mantaci-Reutenauer algebra.
We show that the notion of parkization of a word, a variant of the classical standardization, allows to introduce an internal product on the Hopf algebra of parking functions. Its Catalan subalgebra is stable under this operation and contains the descent algebra as a left ideal.
A Coxeter group of classical type $A_n$, $B_n$ or $D_n$ contains a chain of subgroups of the same type. We show that intersections of conjugates of these subgroups are again of the same type, and make precise in which sense and to what extent this property is exclusive to the classical types of Coxeter groups. As the main tool for the proof we use Solomon's descent algebra. Using Stirling numbers, we express certain basis elements of the descent algebra as polynomials and derive explicit multiplication formulas for a commutative subalgebra of the descent algebra.
We introduce analogs of the Hopf algebra of Free quasi-symmetric functions with bases labelled by colored permutations. When the color set is a semigroup, an internal product can be introduced. This leads to the construction of generalized descent algebras associated with wreath products $Γ\wr\SG_n$ and to the corresponding generalizations of quasi-symmetric functions. The associated Hopf algebras appear as natural analogs of McMahon's multisymmetric functions. As a consequence, we obtain an internal product on ordinary multi-symmetric functions. We extend these constructions to Hopf algebras …
The descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group $W$ is a basic algebra, and as such it has a presentation as quiver with relations. In recent work, we have developed a combinatorial framework which allows us to systematically compute such a quiver presentation for a Coxeter group of a given type. In this article, we use that framework to determine quiver presentations for the descent algebras of the Coxeter groups of exceptional or non-crystallographic type, i.e., of type $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$, $F_4$, $H_3$, $H_4$ or $I_2(m)$.
The linear span P_n of the sums of all permutations in the symmetric group S_n with a given set of peaks is a sub-algebra of the symmetric group algebra, due to Nyman. This peak algebra is a left ideal of the descent algebra D_n; and the direct sum P of all P_n is a Hopf sub-algebra of the direct sum D of all D_n, dual to the Stembridge algebra of peak functions. In our self-contained approach, peak counterparts of several results on the descent algebra are established, including a simple combinatorial characterization of the algebra P_n; an algebraic characterization of P_n based on the actio…
We describe a presentation for the descent algebra of the symmetric group $\sym{n}$ as a quiver with relations. This presentation arises from a new construction of the descent algebra as a homomorphic image of an algebra of forests of binary trees which can be identified with a subspace of the free Lie algebra. In this setting, we provide a new short proof of the known fact that the quiver of the descent algebra of $\sym{n}$ is given by restricted partition refinement. Moreover, we describe certain families of relations and conjecture that for fixed $n\in\mathbb{N}$, the finite set of relation…
Introduced by Solomon in his 1976 paper, the descent algebra of a finite Coxeter group received significant attention over the past decades. As proved by Gessel, in the case of the symmetric group its structure constants give the comultiplication table for the fundamental basis of quasisymmetric functions. We show that this property actually implies several well known relations linked to the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth correspondence and some of its generalisations. We further use the theory of type B quasisymmetric functions introduced by Chow to provide analogue results when the Coxeter group i…
Two notions of riffle shuffling on finite Coxeter groups are given: one using Solomon's descent algebra and another using random walk on chambers of hyperplane arrangements. These coincide for types $A$,$B$,$C$, $H_3$, and rank two groups. Both notions have the same, simple eigenvalues. The hyperplane definition is especially natural and satisfies a positivity property when $W$ is crystallographic and the relevant parameter is a good prime. The hyperplane viewpoint suggests interesting connections with Lie theory and leads to a notion of riffle shuffling for arbitrary real hyperplane arrangeme…
The descent algebra $Σ(W)$ is a subalgebra of the group algebra $\Q W$ of a finite Coxeter group $W$, which supports a homomorphism with nilpotent kernel and commutative image in the character ring of $W$. Thus $Σ(W)$ is a basic algebra, and as such it has a presentation as a quiver with relations. Here we construct $Σ(W)$ as a quotient of a subalgebra of the path algebra of the Hasse diagram of the Boolean lattice of all subsets of $S$, the set of simple reflections in $W$. From this construction we obtain some general information about the quiver of $Σ(W)$ and an algorithm for the constructi…
We develop the homology theory of the algebra of a regular semigroup, which is a particularly nice case of a quasi-hereditary algebra in good characteristic. Directedness is characterized for these algebras, generalizing the case of semisimple algebras studied by Munn and Ponizovksy. We then apply homological methods to compute (modulo group theory) the quiver of a right regular band of groups, generalizing Saliola's results for a right regular band. Right regular bands of groups come up in the representation theory of wreath products with symmetric groups in much the same way that right regul…
The coinvariant algebra $R_n$ is a well-studied $\mathfrak{S}_n$-module that is a graded version of the regular representation of $\mathfrak{S}_n$. Using a straightening algorithm on monomials and the Garsia-Stanton basis, Adin, Brenti, and Roichman gave a description of the Frobenius image of $R_n$, graded by partitions, in terms of descents of standard Young tableaux. Motivated by the Delta Conjecture of Macdonald polynomials, Haglund, Rhoades, and Shimozono gave an extension of the coinvariant algebra $R_{n,k}$ and an extension of the Garsia-Stanton basis. Chan and Rhoades further extend th…
We consider quotients of the unit cube semigroup algebra by particular $\mathbb{Z}_r\wr S_n$-invariant ideals. Using Gröbner basis methods, we show that the resulting graded quotient algebra has a basis where each element is indexed by colored permutations $(π,ε)\in\mathbb{Z}_r\wr S_n$ and each element encodes the negative descent and negative major index statistics on $(π,ε)$. This gives an algebraic interpretation of these statistics which was previously unknown. This basis of the $\mathbb{Z}_r\wr S_n$-quotients allows us to recover certain combinatorial identities involving Euler-Mahonian d…
Combinatorial identities on Weyl groups of types $A$ and $B$ are derived from special bases of the corresponding coinvariant algebras. Using the Garsia-Stanton descent basis of the coinvariant algebra of type $A$ we give a new construction of the Solomon descent representations. An extension of the descent basis to type $B$, using new multivariate statistics on the group, yields a refinement of the descent representations. These constructions are then applied to refine well-known decomposition rules of the coinvariant algebra and to generalize various identities.
We develop a more general view of Stembridge's enriched $P$-partitions and use this theory to outline the structure of peak algebras for the symmetric group and the hyperoctahedral group. Initially we focus on commutative peak algebras, spanned by sums of permutations with the same number of peaks, where we consider several variations on the definition of "peak." Whereas Stembridge's enriched $P$-partitions are related to quasisymmetric functions (the dual coalgebra of Solomon's type A descent algebra), our generalized enriched $P$-partitions are related to type B quasisymmetric functions (the…
In the work of Varchenko, Zagier, Thibon, and Reiner, Saliola, Welker, linear algebraic properties of the multiplication map on the group algebra of the group algebra element are studied, which is the sum over all permutations weighted by q^{inv}, q^{maj}, inv. Here q is a variable, and inv and maj are the classical statistics inversion and major index. We define a multinomial descent statistic des_X and a multinomial inversion statistic inv_X. These new defined statistics are the multinomial expressions of the classical statistics descent des and inversion. We determine the spectrum and the m…
We study a sorting procedure (run-sorting) on permutations, where runs are rearranged in lexicographic order. We describe a rather surprising bijection on permutations on length $n$, with the property that it sends the set of peak-values to the set of peak-values after run-sorting. We also prove that the expected number of descents in a permutation $σ\in S_{n}$ after run-sorting is equal to $(n-2)/3$. Moreover, we provide a closed form of the exponential generating function introduced by Nabawanda, Rakotondrajao and Bamunoba in 2020, for the number of run-sorted permutations of $[n]$, ($RSP(n)…
Monotone triangles are a rich extension of permutations that biject with alternating sign matrices. The notions of weak order and descent sets for permutations are generalized here to monotone triangles, and shown to enjoy many analogous properties. It is shown that any linear extension of the weak order gives rise to a shelling order on a poset, recently introduced by Terwilliger, whose maximal chains biject with monotone triangles; among these shellings are a family of EL-shellings. The weak order turns out to encode an action of the 0-Hecke monoid of type A on the monotone triangles, genera…
We extend an algebra of Mantaci and Reutenauer, acting on the free associative algebra, to a vector space of operators acting on all graded connected Hopf algebras. These operators are convolution products of certain involutions, which we view as hyperoctahedral variants of Patras's descent operators. We obtain the eigenvalues and multiplicities of all our new operators, as well as a basis of eigenvectors for a subclass akin to Adams operations. We outline how to apply this eigendata to study Markov chains, and examine in detail the case of card-shuffles with flips or rotations.
We refine a conjecture by Lehrer and Solomon on the structure of the Orlik-Solomon algebra of a finite Coxeter group $W$ and relate it to the descent algebra of $W$. As a result, we claim that both the group algebra of $W$, as well as the Orlik-Solomon algebra of $W$ can be decomposed into a sum of induced one-dimensional representations of element centralizers, one for each conjugacy class of elements of $W$. We give a uniform proof of the claim for symmetric groups. In addition, we prove that a relative version of the conjecture holds for every pair $(W, W_L)$, where $W$ is arbitrary and $W_…
In a recent paper we claimed that both the group algebra of a finite Coxeter group $W$ as well as the Orlik-Solomon algebra of $W$ can be decomposed into a sum of induced one-dimensional representations of centralizers, one for each conjugacy class of elements of $W$, and gave a uniform proof of this claim for symmetric groups. In this note we outline an inductive approach to our conjecture. As an application of this method, we prove the inductive version of the conjecture for finite Coxeter groups of rank up to 2.
This paper introduces an analogue of the Solomon descent algebra for the complex reflection groups of type $G(r,1,n)$. As with the Solomon descent algebra, our algebra has a basis given by sums of `distinguished' coset representatives for certain `reflection subgroups'. We explicitly describe the structure constants with respect to this basis and show that they are polynomials in $r$. This allows us to define a deformation, or $q$-analogue, of these algebras which depends on a parameter $q$. We determine the irreducible representations of all of these algebras and give a basis for their radica…
We develop a general theory for Markov chains whose transition probabilities are the coefficients of descent operators on combinatorial Hopf algebras. These model the breaking-then-recombining of combinational objects. Examples include the various card-shuffles of Diaconis, Fill and Pitman, Fulman's restriction-then-induction chains on the representations of the symmetric group, and a plethora of new chains on trees, partitions and permutations. The eigenvalues of these chains can be calculated in a uniform manner using Hopf algebra structure theory, and there is a simple expression for their …
In this paper, we consider the number of occurrences of descents, ascents, 123-subwords, 321-subwords, peaks and valleys in flattened permutations, which were recently introduced by Callan in his study of finite set partitions. For descents and ascents, we make use of the kernel method and obtain an explicit formula (in terms of Eulerian polynomials) for the distribution on $\mathcal{S}_n$ in the flattened sense. For the other four patterns in question, we develop a unified approach to obtain explicit formulas for the comparable distributions. We find that the formulas so obtained for 123- and…
For $G$ a finite abelian group, we study the properties of general equivalence relations on $G_n=G^n\rtimes \SG_n$, the wreath product of $G$ with the symmetric group $\SG_n$, also known as the $G$-coloured symmetric group. We show that under certain conditions, some equivalence relations give rise to subalgebras of $\k G_n$ as well as graded connected Hopf subalgebras of $\bigoplus_{n\ge o} \k G_n$. In particular we construct a $G$-coloured peak subalgebra of the Mantaci-Reutenauer algebra (or $G$-coloured descent algebra). We show that the direct sum of the $G$-coloured peak algebras is a Ho…
Using the theory of noncommutative symmetric functions, we introduce the higher order peak algebras, a sequence of graded Hopf algebras which contain the descent algebra and the usual peak algebra as initial cases (N = 1 and N = 2). We compute their Hilbert series, introduce and study several combinatorial bases, and establish various algebraic identities related to the multisection of formal power series with noncommutative coefficients.
We prove several identities expressing polynomials counting permutations by various descent statistics in terms of Eulerian polynomials, extending results of Stembridge, Petersen, and Brändén. Additionally, we find $q$-exponential generating functions for $q$-analogues of these descent statistic polynomials that also keep track of the inversion number or inverse major index. We also present identities relating several of these descent statistic polynomials to refinements of type B Eulerian polynomials and flag descent polynomials by the number of negative letters of a signed permutation. Our m…
We prove an identity conjectured by Adin and Roichman involving the descent set of $λ$-unimodal cyclic permutations. These permutations appear in formulas for characters of certain representations of the symmetric group. Such formulas have previously been proven algebraically. In this paper, we present a combinatorial proof for one such formula and discuss the consequences for the distribution of the descent set on cyclic permutations.
In this paper, we introduce a context-free grammar $G\colon x \rightarrow xy,\, y \rightarrow zu,\, z \rightarrow zw,\, w \rightarrow xv,\, u \rightarrow xyz^{-1}v,\, v \rightarrow x^{-1}zwu$ over the variable set $V=\{x,y,z,w,u,v\}$. We use this grammar to study joint distributions of several permutation statistics related to descents, rises, peaks and valleys. By considering the pattern of an exterior peak, we introduce the exterior peaks of pattern 132 and of pattern 231. Similarly, peaks can also be classified according to their patterns. Let $D$ be the formal derivative operator with resp…
In recent papers we have refined a conjecture of Lehrer and Solomon expressing the character of a finite Coxeter group $W$ acting on the $p$th graded component of its Orlik-Solomon algebra as a sum of characters induced from linear characters of centralizers of elements of $W$. Our refined conjecture relates the character above to a component of a decomposition of the regular character of $W$ related to Solomon's descent algebra of $W$. The refined conjecture has been proved for symmetric and dihedral groups, as well as finite Coxeter groups of rank three and four. In this paper, the second in…
