We use combinatorial and generating function techniques to enumerate various sets of involutions which avoid 231 or contain 231 exactly once. Interestingly, many of these enumerations can be given in terms of $k$-generalized Fibonacci numbers.
In 1990 West conjectured that there are $2(3n)!/((n+1)!(2n+1)!)$ two-stack sortable permutations on $n$ letters. This conjecture was proved analytically by Zeilberger in 1992. Later, Dulucq, Gire, and Guibert gave a combinatorial proof of this conjecture. In the present paper we study generating functions for the number of two-stack sortable permutations on $n$ letters avoiding (or containing exactly once) 132 and avoiding (or containing exactly once) an arbitrary permutation $τ$ on $k$ letters. In several interesting cases this generating function can be expressed in terms of the generating f…
We prove that $|Av_n(231,312,1432)|$, $|Av_n(312,321,1342)|$ $|Av_n(231,312,4321,21543)|$, and $ |Av_n(321,231,4123,21534)|$, are all equal to $F_{n+1} - 1$ where $F_n$ is the $n$-th Fibonacci number using the convention $F_0 = F_1 = 1$ and $Av_n(S)$ is the set of all permutations of length $n$ that avoid all of the patterns in the set $S$. To do this, we characterize the structures of the permutations in these sets in terms of Fibonacci permutations. Then, we further quantify the structures using statistics such as inversion number and a statistic that measures the length of Fibonacci subsequ…
In this paper, we consider nine OEIS sequences, the analysis of which allows us to find a connection between Motzkin numbers and Fibonacci numbers. In each Motzkin number, we distinguish an even component and an odd component, the difference of these two components is called the shadow of the Motzkin number. Reverse of the Motzkin shadows give us a sequence from the family of Fibonacci numbers.
We consider the set partition statistics ls and rb introduced by Wachs and White and investigate their distribution over set partitions avoiding certain patterns. In particular, we consider those set partitions avoiding the pattern 13/2, $Π_n(13/2)$, and those avoiding both 13/2 and 123, $Π_n(13/2,123)$. We show that the distribution over $Π_n(13/2)$ enumerates certain integer partitions, and the distribution over $Π_n(13/2,123)$ gives q-Fibonacci numbers. These q-Fibonacci numbers are closely related to q-Fibonacci numbers studied by Carlitz and by Cigler. We provide combinatorial proofs that…
We provide a trace partitioned Gray code for the set of q-ary strings avoiding a pattern constituted by k consecutive equal symbols. The definition of this Gray code is based on two different constructions, according to the parity of q. This result generalizes, and is based on, a Gray code for binary strings avoiding k consecutive 0's.
For a positive integer $n$, we study the number of steps to reach $n$ by a {\it Fibonacci walk} for some starting pair $a_1$ and $a_2$ satisfying the recurrence of $a_{k+2}=a_{k+1}+a_k$. The problem of slow Fibonacci walks, first suggested by Richard Stanley, is to determine the maximum number $s(n)$ of steps for such a Fibonacci walk ending at $n$. Stanley conjectured that for most $n$, there is a slow Fibonacci walk reaching $n = a_s$ with the property that $a_{s+1}$ is the integer closest to $ϕn$ where $ϕ=(1+\sqrt{5})/2$. We prove that this is true for only a positive fraction of $n$. We gi…
It is well known that permutations avoiding any 3-length pattern are enumerated by the Catalan numbers. If the three patterns 123, 132 and 213 are avoided at the same time we obtain a class of permutations enumerated by the Fibonacci numbers. We start from these permutations and make one or two forbidden patterns disappear by suitably "generalizing" them. In such a way we find several classes of permutations enumerated by integer sequences which lay between the Fibonacci and Catalan numbers. For each class, we provide the generating function according to the length of the permutations. Moreove…
We give multiple proofs of two formulas concerning the enumeration of permutations avoiding a monotone consecutive pattern with a certain value for the inverse peak number or inverse left peak number statistic. The enumeration in both cases is given by a sequence related to Fibonacci numbers. We also show that there is exactly one permutation whose inverse peak number is zero among all permutations with any fixed descent composition, and we give a few elementary consequences of this fact. Our proofs involve generating functions, symmetric functions, regular expressions, and monomino-domino til…
We enumerate and characterize some classes of alternating and reverse alternating involutions avoiding a single pattern of length three or four. If on one hand the case of patterns of length three is trivial, on the other hand, the length four case is more challenging and involves sequences of combinatorial interest, such as Motzkin and Fibonacci numbers.
Walks in a directed graph can be given a partially ordered structure that extends to possibly unconnected objects, called hikes. Studying the incidence algebra on this poset reveals unsuspected relations between walks and self-avoiding hikes. These relations are derived by considering truncated versions of the characteristic polynomial of the weighted adjacency matrix, resulting in a collection of matrices whose entries enumerate the self-avoiding hikes of length $\ell$ from one vertex to another.
This paper is continuation of the study of the 1-box pattern in permutations introduced by the authors in \cite{kitrem4}. We derive a two-variable generating function for the distribution of this pattern on 132-avoiding permutations, and then study some of its coefficients providing a link to the Fibonacci numbers. We also find the number of separable permutations with two and three occurrences of the 1-box pattern.
By modifying the automaton used by P{ö}nitz and Tittman [4], and considering loops of length up to 26, we obtain 2.662343 as an upper bound for the connective constant in the lattice Z 2 .
Let $n \ge 5$ and $k\ge 4$ be positive integers. We determine the maximum size of digraphs of order n that avoid distinct walks of length k with the same endpoints. We also characterize the extremal digraphs attaining this maximum number when $k \ge 5$.
We work with lattice walks in $\mathbb{Z}^{r+1}$ using step set $\{\pm 1\}^{r+1}$ that finish with $x_{r+1} = 0$. We further impose conditions of avoiding backtracking (i.e. $[v,-v]$) and avoiding consecutive steps (i.e. $[v,v]$) each possibly combined with restricting to the half-space $x_{r+1} \geq 0$. We find in all cases the generating functions for such walks are algebraic and give explicit formulas for them. We also find polynomial recurrences for their coefficients. From the generating functions we find the asymptotic enumeration of each family of walks considered. The enumeration in sp…
In this paper, we determine the maximum size of digraphs on $n$ vertices in which there are no two distinct walks of length $3$ with the same initial vertex and the same terminal vertex. The digraphs attaining this maximum size are also characterized. Combining this with previous results, we obtain a full solution to a problem proposed by X. Zhan in 2007.
Let B_n be the hyperoctahedral group; that is, the set of all signed permutations on n letters, and let B_n(T) be the set of all signed permutations in B_n which avoids a set T of signed patterns. In this paper, we find all the cardinalities of the sets B_n(T) where $T \subseteq B_2$. This allow us to express these cardinalities via inverse of binomial coefficients, binomial coefficients, Catalan numbers, and Fibonacci numbers.
We study self-avoiding walks on restricted square lattices, more precisely on the lattice strips $\mathbb{Z} \times \{-1,0,1\}$ and $\mathbb{Z}\times \{-1,0,1,2\}$. We obtain the value of the connective constant for the $\mathbb{Z} \times \{-1,0,1\}$ lattice in a new shorter way and deduce close bounds for the connective constant for the $\mathbb{Z}\times \{-1,0,1,2\}$ lattice. Moreover, for both lattice strips we find close lower and upper bounds for the number of SAWs of length $n$ by using the connective constant.
We count permutations avoiding a nonconsecutive instance of a two- or three-letter pattern, that is, the pattern may occur but only as consecutive entries in the permutation. Two-letter patterns give rise to the Fibonacci numbers. The counting sequences for the two representative three-letter patterns, 321 and 132, have respective generating functions (1+x^2)(C(x)-1)/(1+x+x^2-x C(x)) and C(x+x^3) where C(x) is the generating function for the Catalan numbers.
The $d$-Fibonacci digraphs $F(d,k)$, introduced here, have the number of vertices following generalized Fibonacci-like sequences. They can be defined both as digraphs on alphabets and as iterated line digraphs. Here we study some of their nice properties. For instance, $F(2,k)$ has diameter $d+k-2$ and is semi-pancyclic, that is, it has a cycle of every length between 1 and $\ell$, with $\ell\in\{2k-2,2k-1\}$. Moreover, it turns out that several other numbers of $F(d,k)$ (of closed $l$-walks, classes of vertices, etc.) also follow the same linear recurrences as the numbers of vertices of the $…
The connective constant mu of a graph is the exponential growth rate of the number of n-step self-avoiding walks starting at a given vertex. A self-avoiding walk is said to be forward (respectively, backward) extendable if it may be extended forwards (respectively, backwards) to a singly infinite self-avoiding walk. It is called doubly extendable if it may be extended in both directions simultaneously to a doubly infinite self-avoiding walk. We prove that the connective constants for forward, backward, and doubly extendable self-avoiding walks, denoted respectively by mu^F, mu^B, mu^FB, exist …
This is an exposition of the theorem from the title, which says that the number of self-avoiding walks with n steps in the hexagonal lattice has asymptotics (2cos(pi/8))^{n+o(n)}. We lift the key identity to formal level and simplify the part of the proof bounding the growth constant from below. In our calculation the lower bound comes from an identity asserting that a linear combination of 288 generating functions counting self-avoiding walks in a certain domain by length, final edge direction and winding number modulo 48 equals the geometric series 2cos(pi/8)x + (2cos(pi/8))^2x^2 + ... .
We calculate the connective constant for self-avoiding walks on the simple cubic lattice to unprecedented accuracy, using a novel application of the pivot algorithm. We estimate that μ= 4.684 039 931(27). Our method also provides accurate estimates of the number of self-avoiding walks, even for walks with millions of steps.
There is an extensive literature concerning self-avoiding walk on infinite graphs, but the subject is relatively undeveloped on finite graphs. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the phase transition for self-avoiding walk on the simplest finite graph: the complete graph. We make the elementary observation that the susceptibility of the self-avoiding walk on the complete graph is given exactly in terms of the incomplete gamma function. The known asymptotic behaviour of the incomplete gamma function then yields a complete description of the finite-size scaling of the self-avoiding walk on…
We consider random self-avoiding walks between two points on the boundary of a finite subdomain of Z^d (the probability of a self-avoiding trajectory gamma is proportional to mu^{-length(gamma)}). We show that the random trajectory becomes space-filling in the scaling limit when the parameter mu is supercritical.
We prove that for the $d$-regular tessellations of the hyperbolic plane by $k$-gons, there are exponentially more self-avoiding walks of length $n$ than there are self-avoiding polygons of length $n$. We then prove that this property implies that the self-avoiding walk is ballistic, even on an arbitrary vertex-transitive graph. Moreover, for every fixed $k$, we show that the connective constant for self-avoiding walks satisfies the asymptotic expansion $d-1-O(1/d)$ as $d\to \infty$; on the other hand, the connective constant for self-avoiding polygons remains bounded. Finally, we show for all …
The number of free sites next to the end of a self-avoiding walk is known as the atmosphere. The average atmosphere can be related to the number of configurations. Here we study the distribution of atmospheres as a function of length and how the number of walks of fixed atmosphere scale. Certain bounds on these numbers can be proved. We use Monte Carlo estimates to verify our conjectures. Of particular interest are walks that have zero atmosphere, which are known as trapped. We demonstrate that these walks scale in the same way as the full set of self-avoiding walks, barring an overall constan…
We describe some ideas of John Hammersley for proving the existence of critical exponents for two-dimensional self-avoiding walks and provide numerical evidence for their correctness.
We introduce the $k$-bonacci polyominoes, a new family of polyominoes associated with the binary words avoiding $k$ consecutive $1$'s, also called generalized $k$-bonacci words. The polyominoes are very entrancing objects, considered in combinatorics and computer science. The study of polyominoes generates a rich source of combinatorial ideas. In this paper we study some properties of $k$-bonacci polyominoes. Specifically, we determine their recursive structure and, using this structure, we enumerate them according to their area, semiperimeter, and length of the corresponding words. We also in…
We study self-avoiding walk on graphs whose automorphism group has a transitive nonunimodular subgroup. We prove that self-avoiding walk is ballistic, that the bubble diagram converges at criticality, and that the critical two-point function decays exponentially in the distance from the origin. This implies that the critical exponent governing the susceptibility takes its mean-field value, and hence that the number of self-avoiding walks of length $n$ is comparable to the $n$th power of the connective constant. We also prove that the same results hold for a large class of repulsive walk models…
We prove that self-avoiding walk on Z^d is sub-ballistic in any dimension d at least two. That is, writing ||u|| for the Euclidean norm of u \in Z^d, and SAW_n for the uniform measure on self-avoiding walks gamma:{0,...,n} \to Z^d for which gamma_0 = 0, we show that, for each v > 0, there exists c > 0 such that, for each positive integer n, SAW_n (max {|| gamma_k || : k \in {0,...,n}} > v n) < e^{- c n}.
Self-avoiding walks on the body-centered-cubic (BCC) and face-centered-cubic (FCC) lattices are enumerated up to lengths 28 and 24, respectively, using the length-doubling method. Analysis of the enumeration results yields values for the exponents $γ$ and $ν$ which are in agreement with, but less accurate than those obtained earlier from enumeration results on the simple cubic lattice. The non-universal growth constant and amplitudes are accurately determined, yielding for the BCC lattice $μ=6.530520(20)$, $A=1.1785(40)$, and $D=1.0864(50)$, and for the FCC lattice $μ=10.037075(20)$, $A=1.1736…
We consider a self-avoiding walk on the dual $\mathbb{Z}^2$ lattice. This walk can traverse the same square twice but cannot cross the same edge more than once. The weight of each square visited by the walk depends on the way the walk passes through it and the weight of the whole walk is calculated as a product of these weights. We consider a family of critical weights parametrized by angle $θ\in[\fracπ{3},\frac{2π}{3}]$. For $θ=\fracπ{3}$, this can be mapped to the self-avoiding walk on the honeycomb lattice. The connective constant in this case was proved to be equal to $\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}}$ b…
We prove two results on the delocalization of the endpoint of a uniform self-avoiding walk on Z^d for d>1. We show that the probability that a walk of length n ends at a point x tends to 0 as n tends to infinity, uniformly in x. Also, for any fixed x in Z^d, this probability decreases faster than n^{-1/4 + epsilon} for any epsilon >0. When |x|= 1, we thus obtain a bound on the probability that self-avoiding walk is a polygon.
The connective constant $μ(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the asymptotic growth rate of the number $σ_{n}$ of self-avoiding walks of length $n$ in $G$ from a given vertex. We prove a formula for the connective constant for free products of quasi-transitive graphs and show that $σ_{n}\sim A_{G} μ(G)^{n}$ for some constant $A_{G}$ that depends on $G$. In the case of finite products $μ(G)$ can be calculated explicitly and is shown to be an algebraic number.
These lecture notes provide a rapid introduction to a number of rigorous results on self-avoiding walks, with emphasis on the critical behaviour. Following an introductory overview of the central problems, an account is given of the Hammersley--Welsh bound on the number of self-avoiding walks and its consequences for the growth rates of bridges and self-avoiding polygons. A detailed proof that the connective constant on the hexagonal lattice equals $\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}}$ is then provided. The lace expansion for self-avoiding walks is described, and its use in understanding the critical behaviour …
Self-avoiding walks are a simple and well-known model of long, flexible polymers in a good solvent. Polymers being pulled away from a surface by an external agent can be modelled with self-avoiding walks in a half-space, with a Boltzmann weight $y = e^f$ associated with the pulling force. This model is known to have a critical point at a certain value $y_c$ of this Boltzmann weight, which is the location of a transition between the so-called free and ballistic phases. The value $y_c=1$ has been conjectured by several authors using numerical estimates. We provide a relatively simple proof of th…
Let $X$ be an infinite, locally finite, connected, quasi-transitive graph without loops or multiple edges. A graph height function on $X$ is a map adapted to the graph structure, assigning to every vertex an integer, called height. Bridges are self-avoiding walks such that heights of interior vertices are bounded by the heights of the start- and end-vertex. The number of self-avoiding walks and the number of bridges of length $n$ starting at a vertex $o$ of $X$ grow exponentially in $n$ and the bases of these growth rates are called connective constant and bridge constant, respectively. We sho…
The Fisher transformation acts on cubic graphs by replacing each vertex by a triangle. We explore the action of the Fisher transformation on the set of self-avoiding walks of a cubic graph. Iteration of the transformation yields a sequence of graphs with common critical exponents, and with connective constants converging geometrically to the golden mean. We consider the application of the Fisher transformation to one of the two classes of vertices of a bipartite cubic graph. The connective constant of the ensuing graph may be expressed in terms of that of the initial graph. When applied to the…
In a recent paper by Beaton et al, it was proved that a model of self-avoiding walks on the honeycomb lattice, interacting with an impenetrable surface, undergoes an adsorption phase transition when the surface fugacity is $1+\sqrt{2}$. Their proof used a generalisation of an identity obtained by Duminil-Copin and Smirnov, and confirmed a conjecture of Batchelor and Yung. We consider a similar model of self-avoiding walk adsorption on the honeycomb lattice, but with the lattice rotated by $π/2$. For this model there also exists a conjecture for the critical surface fugacity, made in 1998 by Ba…
We consider a self-avoiding walk model (SAW) on the faces of the square lattice $\mathbb{Z}^2$. This walk can traverse the same face twice, but crosses any edge at most once. The weight of a walk is a product of local weights: each square visited by the walk yields a weight that depends on the way the walk passes through it. The local weights are parametrised by angles $θ\in[\fracπ{3},\frac{2π}{3}]$ and satisfy the Yang-Baxter equation. The self-avoiding walk is embedded in the plane by replacing the square faces of the grid with rhombi with corresponding angles. By means of the Yang-Baxter tr…