Riordan arrays and r-Stirling number identities

Abstract

By using the theory of Riordan arrays, we establish four pairs of general r-Stirling number identities, which reduce to various identities on harmonic numbers, hyperharmonic numbers, the Stirling numbers of the first and second kind, the r-Stirling numbers of the first and second kind, and the r-Lah numbers. We further discuss briefly the connections between the r-Stirling numbers and the Cauchy numbers, the generalized hyperharmonic numbers, and the poly-Bernoulli polynomials. Many known identities are shown to be special cases of our results, and the combinatorial interpretations of several particular identities are also presented as supplements.