Boolean Product Polynomials, Schur Positivity, and Chern Plethysm

Abstract

Abstract Let $k \leq n$ be positive integers, and let $X_n = (x_1, \dots , x_n)$ be a list of $n$ variables. The Boolean product polynomial $B_{n,k}(X_n)$ is the product of the linear forms $\sum _{i \in S} x_i$, where $S$ ranges over all $k$-element subsets of $\{1, 2, \dots , n\}$. We prove that Boolean product polynomials are Schur positive. We do this via a new method of proving Schur positivity using vector bundles and a symmetric function operation we call Chern plethysm. This gives a geometric method for producing a vast array of Schur positive polynomials whose Schur positivity lacks (at present) a combinatorial or representation theoretic proof. We relate the polynomials $B_{n,k}(X_n)$ for certain $k$ to other combinatorial objects including derangements, positroids, alternating sign matrices, and reverse flagged fillings of a partition shape. We also relate $B_{n,n-1}(X_n)$ to a bigraded action of the symmetric group ${\mathfrak{S}}_n$ on a divergence free quotient of superspace.