We introduce a natural Hopf algebra structure on the space of noncommutative symmetric functions which was recently studied as a vector space by Rosas and Sagan. The bases for this algebra are indexed by set partitions. We show that there exist a natural inclusion of the Hopf algebra of noncommutative symmetric functions indexed by compositions in this larger space. We also consider this algebra as a subspace of noncommutative polynomials and use it to understand the structure of the spaces of harmonics and coinvariants with respect to this collection of noncommutative polynomials.
We analyze the structure of the algebra N of symmetric polynomials in non-commuting variables in so far as it relates to its commutative counterpart. Using the "place-action" of the symmetric group, we are able to realize the latter as the invariant polynomials inside the former. We discover a tensor product decomposition of N analogous to the classical theorems of Chevalley, Shephard-Todd on finite reflection groups.
We identify a collection of primitive elements generating the Hopf algebra NCSym of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables and give a combinatorial formula for the antipode.
In 1995 Stanley introduced a generalization of the chromatic polynomial of a graph $G$, called the chromatic symmetric function, $X_G$, which was generalized to noncommuting variables, $Y_G$, by Gebhard-Sagan in 2001. Recently there has been a renaissance in the study of $X_G$, in particular in classifying when $X_G$ is a positive linear combination of elementary symmetric or Schur functions. We extend this study from $X_G$ to $Y_G$, including establishing the multiplicativity of $Y_G$, and showing $Y_G$ satisfies the $k$-deletion property. Moreover, we completely classify when $Y_G$ is a posi…
The aim of this work is to extend the study of super-coinvariant polynomials, to the case of the generalized symmetric group $G_{n,m}$, defined as the wreath product $C_m\wr§_n$ of the symmetric group by the cyclic group. We define a quasi-symmetrizing action of $G_{n,m}$ on $\Q[x_1,...,x_n]$, analogous to those defined by Hivert in the case of $§_n$. The polynomials invariant under this action are called quasi-invariant, and we define super-coinvariant polynomials as polynomials orthogonal, with respect to a given scalar product, to the quasi-invariant polynomials with no constant term. Our m…
Consider the algebra Q<<x_1,x_2,...>> of formal power series in countably many noncommuting variables over the rationals. The subalgebra Pi(x_1,x_2,...) of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables consists of all elements invariant under permutation of the variables and of bounded degree. We develop a theory of such functions analogous to the ordinary theory of symmetric functions. In particular, we define analogs of the monomial, power sum, elementary, complete homogeneous, and Schur symmetric functions as will as investigating their properties.
Two actions of the Hecke algebra of type A on the corresponding polynomial ring are studied. Both are deformations of the natural action of the symmetric group on polynomials, and keep symmetric functions invariant. We give an explicit description of these actions, and deduce a combinatorial formula for the resulting graded characters on the coinvariant algebra.
We study the coinvariant ring of the complex reflection group $G(r,p,n)$ as a module for the corresponding rational Cherednik algebra $\HH$ and its generalized graded affine Hecke subalgebra $\mathcal{H}$. We construct a basis consisting of non-symmetric Jack polynomials, and using this basis decompose the coinvariant ring into irreducible modules for $\mathcal{H}$. The basis consists of certain non-symmetric Jack polynomials, whose leading terms are the ``descent monomials'' for $G(r,p,n)$ recently studied by Adin, Brenti, and Roichman and Bagno and Biagoli. The irreducible $\mathcal{H}$-subm…
A classical result of Artin states that the ideal generated by symmetric polynomials in $n$ variables is of codimension $n!$. The author, F. Bergeron and N. Bergeron have recently obtained a surprising analogous in the case of quasi-symmetric polynomials. In this case, the ideal is of codimension given by $C_n$, the $n$-th Catalan number. Quasi-symmetric polynomials are the invariants of a certain action of the symmetric group $S_n$ defined by F. Hivert. The aim of this work is to generalize these results to the wreath product $S_n\wr \Z_m$, also known as the generalized symmetric group $G\nm$…
Let $Π_n$ denote the set of all set partitions of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$. We consider two subsets of $Π_n$, one connected to rook theory and one associated with symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Let $\cE_n\sbeΠ_n$ be the subset of all partitions corresponding to an extendable rook (placement) on the upper-triangular board, $\cT_{n-1}$. Given $π\inΠ_m$ and $\si\inΠ_n$, define their {\it slash product\/} to be $π|\si=π\cup(\si+m)\inΠ_{m+n}$ where $\si+m$ is the partition obtained by adding $m$ to every element of every block of $\si$. Call $τ$ {\it atomic\/} if it can not be written as …
The 0-Hecke algebra $H_n(0)$ is a deformation of the group algebra of the symmetric group $\SS_n$. We show that its coinvariant algebra naturally carries the regular representation of $H_n(0)$, giving an analogue of the well-known result for $\SS_n$ by Chevalley-Shephard-Todd. By investigating the action of $H_n(0)$ on coinvariants and flag varieties, we interpret the generating functions counting the permutations with fixed inverse descent set by their inversion number and major index. We also study the action of $H_n(0)$ on the cohomology rings of the Springer fibers, and similarly interpret…
We identify two seemingly disparate structures: supercharacters, a useful way of doing Fourier analysis on the group of unipotent uppertriangular matrices with coefficients in a finite field, and the ring of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Each is a Hopf algebra and the two are isomorphic as such. This allows developments in each to be transferred. The identification suggests a rich class of examples for the emerging field of combinatorial Hopf algebras.
Let R_n be the ring of coinvariants for the diagonal action of the symmetric group S_n. It is known that the character of R_n as a doubly-graded S_n module can be expressed using the Frobenius characteristic map as \nabla e_n, where e_n is the n-th elementary symmetric function, and \nabla is an operator from the theory of Macdonald polynomials. We conjecture a combinatorial formula for \nabla e_n and prove that it has many desirable properties which support our conjecture. In particular, we prove that our formula is a symmetric function (which is not obvious) and that it is Schur positive. Th…
Let $n,k,$ and $r$ be nonnegative integers and let $S_n$ be the symmetric group. We introduce a quotient $R_{n,k,r}$ of the polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[x_1, \dots, x_n]$ in $n$ variables which carries the structure of a graded $S_n$-module. When $r \geq n$ or $k = 0$ the quotient $R_{n,k,r}$ reduces to the classical coinvariant algebra $R_n$ attached to the symmetric group. Just as algebraic properties of $R_n$ are controlled by combinatorial properties of permutations in $S_n$, the algebra of $R_{n,k,r}$ is controlled by the combinatorics of objects called {\em tail positive words}. We calcul…
We define a new type of vertex coloring which generalizes vertex coloring in graphs, hypergraphs, and simplicial complexes. This coloring also generalizes oriented coloring, acyclic coloring, and star coloring. There is an associated symmetric function in noncommuting variables for which we give a deletion-contraction formula. In the case of graphs this symmetric function in noncommuting variables agrees with the chromatic symmetric function in noncommuting variables of Gebhard and Sagan. Our vertex coloring is a special case of the scheduling problems defined by Breuer and Klivans. We show ho…
Motivated by a recent conjecture of Zabrocki, Wallach described the alternants in the super-coinvariant algebra of the symmetric group in one set of commuting and one set of anti-commuting variables under the diagonal action. We give a type-independent generalization of Wallach's result to all real reflection groups $G$. As an intermediate step, we explicitly describe the alternating super-polynomials in $k[V] \otimes Λ(V)$ for all complex reflection groups, providing an analogue of a classic result of Solomon which describes the invariant super-polynomials in $k[V] \otimes Λ(V^*)$. Using our …
In 2004 Rosas and Sagan asked whether there was a way to define a basis in the algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables, NCSym, having properties analogous to the classical Schur functions. This was because they had constructed a partial such set that was not a basis. We answer their question by defining Schur functions in noncommuting variables using a noncommutative analogue of the Jacobi-Trudi determinant. Our Schur functions in NCSym map to classical Schur functions under commutation, and a subset of them indexed by set partitions forms a basis for NCSym. Amongst other prop…
Let $r$ be a positive integer and let $G_n$ be the reflection group of $n \times n$ monomial matrices whose entries are $r^{th}$ complex roots of unity and let $k \leq n$. We define and study two new graded quotients $R_{n,k}$ and $S_{n,k}$ of the polynomial ring $\mathbb{C}[x_1, \dots, x_n]$ in $n$ variables. When $k = n$, both of these quotients coincide with the classical coinvariant algebra attached to $G_n$. The algebraic properties of our quotients are governed by the combinatorial properties of $k$-dimensional faces in the Coxeter complex attached to $G_n$ (in the case of $R_{n,k}$) and…
In this paper, we continue our study of the Hilbert polynomials of coinvariants begun in our previous work math.QA/0205324 (paper I). We describe the sl_n-fusion products for symmetric tensor representations following the method of Feigin and Feigin, and show that their Hilbert polynomials are A_{n-1}-supernomials. We identify the fusion product of arbitrary irreducible sl_n-modules with the fusion product of their resctriction to sl_{n-1}. Then using the equivalence theorem from paper I and the results above for sl_3, we give a fermionic formula for the Hilbert polynomials of a class of affin…
Let $(x_1, \dots, x_n, y_1, \dots, y_n)$ be a list of $2n$ commuting variables, $(θ_1, \dots, θ_n, ξ_1, \dots, ξ_n)$ be a list of $2n$ anticommuting variables, and $\mathbb{C}[X_n, Y_n] \otimes \wedge \{Θ_n, Ξ_n\}$ be the algebra generated by these variables. D'Adderio, Iraci, and Vanden Wyngaerd introduced the {\em Theta operators} on the ring of symmetric functions and used them to conjecture a formula for the quadruply-graded $\mathfrak{S}_n$-isomorphism type of $\mathbb{C}[X_n,Y_n] \otimes \wedge \{Θ_n, Ξ_n\}/I$ where $I$ is the ideal generated by $\mathfrak{S}_n$-invariants with vanishing…
We introduce two new partial orders on the standard Young tableaux of a given partition shape, in analogy with the strong and weak Bruhat orders on permutations. Both posets are ranked by the major index statistic offset by a fixed shift. The existence of such ranked poset structures allows us to classify the realizable major index statistics on standard tableaux of arbitrary straight shape and certain skew shapes. By a theorem of Lusztig--Stanley, this classification can be interpreted as determining which irreducible representations of the symmetric group exist in which homogeneous component…
Let $W$ be an irreducible complex reflection group acting on its reflection representation $V$. We consider the doubly graded action of $W$ on the exterior algebra $\wedge (V \oplus V^*)$ as well as its quotient $DR_W := \wedge (V \oplus V^*)/ \langle \wedge (V \oplus V^*)^{W}_+ \rangle$ by the ideal generated by its homogeneous $W$-invariants with vanishing constant term. We describe the bigraded isomorphism type of $DR_W$; when $W = \mathfrak{S}_n$ is the symmetric group, the answer is a difference of Kronecker products of hook-shaped $\mathfrak{S}_n$-modules. We relate the Hilbert series of…
Let the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ act on the polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n] = \mathbb{Q}[x_1, \dots, x_n]$ by variable permutation. The coinvariant algebra is the graded $\mathfrak{S}_n$-module $R_n := {\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n]} / {I_n}$, where $I_n$ is the ideal in $\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n]$ generated by invariant polynomials with vanishing constant term. Haglund, Rhoades, and Shimozono introduced a new quotient $R_{n,k}$ of the polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n]$ depending on two positive integers $k \leq n$ which reduces to the classical coinvariant algebra of the s…
The symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ acts on the polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n] = \mathbb{Q}[x_1, \dots, x_n]$ by variable permutation. The invariant ideal $I_n$ is the ideal generated by all $\mathfrak{S}_n$-invariant polynomials with vanishing constant term. The quotient $R_n = \frac{\mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n]}{I_n}$ is called the coinvariant algebra. The coinvariant algebra $R_n$ has received a great deal of study in algebraic and geometric combinatorics. We introduce a generalization $I_{n,k} \subseteq \mathbb{Q}[\mathbf{x}_n]$ of the ideal $I_n$ indexed by two positive integers $…
The representation theory of the symmetric groups is intimately related to geometry, algebraic combinatorics, and Lie theory. The spin representation theory of the symmetric groups was originally developed by Schur. In these lecture notes, we present a coherent account of the spin counterparts of several classical constructions such as the Frobenius characteristic map, Schur duality, the coinvariant algebra, Kostka polynomials, and Young's seminormal form.
We introduce a remarkable new family of norms on the space of $n \times n$ complex matrices. These norms arise from the combinatorial properties of symmetric functions, and their construction and validation involve probability theory, partition combinatorics, and trace polynomials in noncommuting variables. Our norms enjoy many desirable analytic and algebraic properties, such as an elegant determinantal interpretation and the ability to distinguish certain graphs that other matrix norms cannot. Furthermore, they give rise to new dimension-independent tracial inequalities. Their potential meri…
Stanley associated with a graph G a symmetric function X_G which reduces to G's chromatic polynomial under a certain specialization of variables. He then proved various theorems generalizing results about the chromatic polynomial, as well as new ones that cannot be interpreted at that level. Unfortunately, X_G does not satisfy a Deletion-Contraction Law which makes it difficult to apply induction. We introduce a symmetric function in noncommuting variables which does have such a law and specializes to X_G when the variables are allowed to commute. This permits us to further generalize some of …
This paper studies three results that describe the structure of the super-coinvariant algebra of pseudo-reflection groups over a field of characteristic $0$. Our most general result determines the top component in total degree, which we prove for all Shephard--Todd groups $G(m, p, n)$ with $m \neq p$ or $m=1$. Our strongest result gives tight bi-degree bounds and is proven for all $G(m, 1, n)$, which includes the Weyl groups of types $A$ and $B$/$C$. For symmetric groups (i.e. type $A$), this provides new evidence for a recent conjecture of Zabrocki related to the Delta Conjecture of Haglund--…
Block character of a finite symmetric group S(n) is a positive definite function which depends only on the number of cycles in permutation. We describe the cone of block characters by identifying its extreme rays, and find relations of the characters to descent representations and the coinvariant algebra of S(n). The decomposition of extreme block characters into the sum of characters of irreducible representations gives rise to certain limit shape theorems for random Young diagrams. We also study counterparts of the block characters for the infinite symmetric group S(\infty) along with their …
In the context of the ring Q[x,y], of polynomials in 2n variables x=x1,...,x_n and y=y1,...,yn, we introduce the notion of diagonally quasi-symmetric polynomials. These, also called "diagonal Temperley-Lieb invariants", make possible the further introduction of the space of "diagonal Temperley-Lieb harmonics" and "diagonal Temperley-Lieb coinvariant space". We present new results and conjectures concerning these spaces, as well as the space obtained as the quotient of the ring of diagonal Temperley-Lieb invariants by the ideal generated by constant term free diagonally symmetric invariants. We…
Using a noncommutative analog of Chevalley's decomposition of polynomials into symmetric polynomials times coinvariants due to Bergeron, Reutenauer, Rosas, and Zabrocki we compute the graded Frobenius series for their two sets of noncommutative harmonics with respect to the left action of the symmetric group (acting on variables). We use these results to derive the Frobenius series for the enveloping algebra of the derived free Lie algebra in n variables.
The supercharacter theory of algebra groups gave us a representation theoretic realization of the Hopf algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. The underlying representation theoretic framework comes equipped with two canonical bases, one of which was completely new in terms of symmetric functions. This paper simultaneously generalizes this Hopf structure by considering a larger class of groups while also restricting the representation theory to a more combinatorially tractable one. Using the normal lattice supercharacter theory of pattern groups, we not only gain a third cano…
We present a proof of the compositional shuffle conjecture, which generalizes the famous shuffle conjecture for the character of the diagonal coinvariant algebra. We first formulate the combinatorial side of the conjecture in terms of certain operators on a graded vector space $V_*$ whose degree zero part is the ring of symmetric functions $Sym[X]$ over $\mathbb{Q}(q,t)$. We then extend these operators to an action of an algebra $\tildeÅ$ acting on this space, and interpret the right generalization of the $\nabla$ using an involution of the algebra which is antilinear with respect to the conju…
From a recent paper, we recall the Hopf monoid structure on the supercharacters of the unipotent uppertriangular groups over a finite field. We give cancelation free formula for the antipode applied to the bases of class functions and power sum functions, giving new cancelation free formulae for the standard Hopf algebra of supercharacters and symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. We also give partial results for the antipode on the supercharacter basis, and explicitly describe the primitives of this Hopf monoid.
We give a type-independent construction of an explicit basis for the semi-invariant harmonic differential forms of an arbitrary pseudo-reflection group in characteristic zero. Our "top-down" approach uses the methods of Cartan's exterior calculus and is in some sense dual to related work of Solomon, Orlik--Solomon, and Shepler describing (semi-)invariant differential forms. We apply our results to a recent conjecture of Zabrocki which provides a representation theoretic-model for the Delta conjecture of Haglund--Remmel--Wilson in terms of a certain non-commutative coinvariant algebra for the s…
In this paper we introduce and develop the theory of FI-modules. We apply this theory to obtain new theorems about: - the cohomology of the configuration space of n distinct ordered points on an arbitrary (connected, oriented) manifold - the diagonal coinvariant algebra on r sets of n variables - the cohomology and tautological ring of the moduli space of n-pointed curves - the space of polynomials on rank varieties of n x n matrices - the subalgebra of the cohomology of the genus n Torelli group generated by H^1 and more. The symmetric group S_n acts on each of these vector spaces. In most ca…
A universal framework for Hopf algebras in combinatorics
Research Center for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Shandong University（山东大学数学与交叉科学研究院）；Frontiers Science Center for Nonlinear Expectations, Ministry of Education（教育部非线性期望前沿科学中心）；Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia（不列颠哥伦比亚大学数学系）
A weight-dependent generalization of the binomial theorem for noncommuting variables is presented. This result extends the well-known binomial theorem for q-commuting variables by a generic weight function depending on two integers. For a special case of the weight function, restricting it to depend on only a single integer, the noncommutative binomial theorem involves an expansion of complete symmetric functions. Another special case concerns the weight function to be a suitably chosen elliptic (i.e., doubly-periodic meromorphic) function, in which case an elliptic generalization of the binom…
This paper is based on the introduction to the monograph ``Double affine Hecke algebras'' to be published by Cambridge University Press. The connections with Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations, Kac-Moody algebras, tau-function, harmonic analysis on symmetric spaces, and special functions are discussed. The rank one case is considered in detail including the classification of Verlinde algebras and their deformations, Gauss-Selberg integrals and Gaussian sums, a topological interpretation of DAHA, a relation of the rational DAHA to sl(2), and applications to the diagonal coinvariants. The last thr…
We build, from the collection of all groups of unitriangular matrices, Hopf monoids in Joyal's category of species. Such structure is carried by the collection of class function spaces on those groups, and also by the collection of superclass function spaces, in the sense of Diaconis and Isaacs. Superclasses of unitriangular matrices admit a simple description from which we deduce a combinatorial model for the Hopf monoid of superclass functions, in terms of the Hadamard product of the Hopf monoids of linear orders and of set partitions. This implies a recent result relating the Hopf algebra o…
