We propose an analogue of Solomon's descent theory for the case of a wreath product G ~ S_n, where G is a finite abelian group. Our construction mixes a number of ingredients: Mantaci-Reutenauer algebras, Specht's theory for the representations of wreath products, Okada's extension to wreath products of the Robinson-Schensted correspondence, Poirier's quasisymmetric functions. We insist on the functorial aspect of our definitions and explain the relation of our results with previous work concerning the hyperoctaedral group.
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.
We investigate the $α$-colored Eulerian polynomials and a notion of descents introduced in a recent paper of Hedmark and show that such polynomials can be computed as a polynomial encoding descents computed over a quotient of the wreath product $\mathbb{Z}_α\wr\mathfrak{S}_n$. Moreover, we consider the flag descent statistic computed over this same quotient and find that the flag Eulerian polynomial remains palindromic. We prove that the flag descent polynomial is palindromic over this same quotient by giving a combinatorial proof that the flag descent statistic is symmetrically distributed ov…
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 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.
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…
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.
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 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_…
We generalize two bijections due to Garsia and Gessel to compute the generating functions of the two vector statistics $(\des_G, \maj,\ell_G, \col)$ and $(\des_G, \ides_G, \maj, \imaj, \col, \icol)$ over the wreath product of a symmetric group by a cyclic group. Here $\des_G$, $\ell_G$, $\maj$, $\col$, $\ides_G$, $\imaj_G$, and $\icol$ denote the number of descents, length, major index, color weight, inverse descents, inverse major index, and inverse color weight, respectively. Our main formulas generalize and unify several known identities due to Brenti, Carlitz, Chow-Gessel, Garsia-Gessel, a…
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…
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.
In recent papers we have refined a conjecture of Lehrer and Solomon expressing the characters of a finite Coxeter group $W$ afforded by the homogeneous components of its Orlik-Solomon algebra as sums of characters induced from linear characters of centralizers of elements of $W$. Our refined conjecture also relates the Orlik-Solomon characters above to the terms of a decomposition of the regular character of $W$ related to the descent algebra of $W$. A consequence of our conjecture is that both the regular character of $W$ and the character of the Orlik-Solomon algebra have parallel, graded de…
Various statistics on wreath products are defined via canonical words, "colored" right to left minima and "colored" descents. It is shown that refined counts with respect to these statistics have nice recurrence formulas of binomial-Stirling type. These extended Stirling numbers determine (via matrix inversion) dual systems, which are also shown to have combinatorial realizations within the wreath product. The above setting also gives rise to MacMahon type equi-distribution theorem over subsets with prescribed statistics.
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 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.
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…
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, $ΣB_{n-2}$.
In the context of generating functions for $P$-partitions, we revisit three flavors of quasisymmetric functions: Gessel's quasisymmetric functions, Chow's type B quasisymmetric functions, and Poirier's signed quasisymmetric functions. In each case we use the inner coproduct to give a combinatorial description (counting pairs of permutations) to the multiplication in: Solomon's type A descent algebra, Solomon's type B descent algebra, and the Mantaci-Reutenauer algebra, respectively. The presentation is brief and elementary, our main results coming as consequences of $P$-partition theorems alre…
The coefficients of the local $h$-polynomial of the barycentric subdivision of the simplex with $n$ vertices are known to count derangements in the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ by the number of excedances. A generalization of this interpretation is given for the local $h$-polynomial of the $r$th edgewise subdivision of the barycentric subdivision of the simplex. This polynomial is shown to be $γ$-nonnegative and a combinatorial interpretation to the corresponding $γ$-coefficients is provided. The new combinatorial interpretations involve the notions of flag excedance and descent in the wre…
A coplactic class in the symmetric group S_n consists of all permutations in S_n with a given Schensted Q-symbol, and may be described in terms of local relations introduced by Knuth. Any Lie element in the group algebra of S_n which is constant on coplactic classes is already constant on descent classes. As a consequence, the intersection of the Lie convolution algebra introduced by Patras and Reutenauer and the coplactic algebra introduced by Poirier and Reutenauer is the Solomon descent algebra.
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 study the complex reflection groups G(r,p,n). By considering these groups as subgroups of the wreath products Z_r wr S_n, and by using Clifford theory, we define combinatorial parameters and descent representations of G(r,p,n), previously known for classical Weyl groups. One of these parameters is the flag major index, which also has an important role in the decomposition of these representations into irreducibles. A Carlitz type identity relating the combinatorial parameters with the degrees of the group, is presented.
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.
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…
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 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…
Associated to each irreducible crystallographic root system $Φ$, there is a certain cell complex structure on the torus obtained as the quotient of the ambient space by the coroot lattice of $Φ$. This is the Steinberg torus. A main goal of this paper is to exhibit a module structure on (the set of faces of) this complex over the (set of faces of the) Coxeter complex of $Φ$. The latter is a monoid under the Tits product of faces. The module structure is obtained from geometric considerations involving affine hyperplane arrangements. As a consequence, a module structure is obtained on the space …
