Duality of Graded Graphs Through Operads

Abstract

Pairs of graded graphs, together with the Fomin property of graded graph duality, are rich combinatorial structures providing among other a framework for enumeration. The prototypical example is the one of the Young graded graph of integer partitions, allowing us to connect number of standard Young tableaux and numbers of permutations. Here, we use operads, that algebraic devices abstracting the notion of composition of combinatorial objects, to build pairs of graded graphs. For this, we first construct a pair of graded graphs where vertices are syntax trees, the elements of free nonsymmetric operads. This pair of graphs is dual for a new notion of duality called $\phi$-diagonal duality, similar to the ones introduced by Fomin. We also provide a general way to build pairs of graded graphs from operads, wherein underlying posets are analogous to the Young lattice. Some examples of operads leading to new pairs of graded graphs involving integer compositions, Motzkin paths, and $m$-trees are considered.