Functions In Noncommuting Variables Research Articles

Generalized Chromatic Functions

Abstract We define vertex-colourings for edge-partitioned digraphs, which unify the theory of $P$-partitions and proper vertex-colourings of graphs. We use our vertex-colourings to define generalized chromatic functions, which merge the chromatic symmetric and quasisymmetric functions of graphs and generating functions of $P$-partitions. Moreover, numerous classical bases of symmetric and quasisymmetric functions, both in commuting and noncommuting variables, can be realized as special cases of our generalized chromatic functions. We also establish product and coproduct formulas for our functions. Additionally, we construct the new Hopf algebra of $r$-quasisymmetric functions in noncommuting variables, and apply our functions to confirm its Hopf structure, and establish natural bases for it.

Powersum Bases in Quasisymmetric Functions and Quasisymmetric Functions in Non-Commuting Variables

We introduce a new powersum basis for the Hopf algebra of quasisymmetric functions that refines the powersum symmetric basis. Unlike the quasisymmetric powersums of types 1 and 2, our basis is defined combinatorially: its expansion in quasisymmetric monomial functions is given by fillings of matrices. This basis has a shuffle product, a deconcatenate coproduct, and has a change of basis rule to the quasisymmetric fundamental basis by using tuples of ribbons. We lift our quasisymmetric powersum P basis to the Hopf algebra of quasisymmetric functions in non-commuting variables by introducing fillings with disjoint sets. This new basis has a shifted shuffle product and a standard deconcatenate coproduct, and certain basis elements agree with the fundamental basis of the Malvenuto-Reutenauer Hopf algebra of permutations. Finally we discuss how to generalize these bases and their properties by using total orders on indices.

Schur functions in noncommuting variables

In 2004 Rosas and Sagan asked whether there was a way to define a basis in the algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables, NCSym, having properties analogous to the classical Schur functions. This was because they had constructed a partial such set that was not a basis. We answer their question by defining Schur functions in noncommuting variables using a noncommutative analogue of the Jacobi-Trudi determinant. Our Schur functions in NCSym map to classical Schur functions under commutation, and a subset of them indexed by set partitions forms a basis for NCSym. Amongst other properties, Schur functions in NCSym also satisfy a noncommutative analogue of the product rule for classical Schur functions in terms of skew Schur functions.We also show how Schur functions in NCSym are related to Specht modules, and naturally refine the Rosas-Sagan Schur functions. Moreover, by generalizing Rosas-Sagan Schur functions to skew Schur functions in the natural way, we prove noncommutative analogues of the Littlewood-Richardson rule and coproduct rule for them. Finally, we relate our functions to noncommutative symmetric functions by proving a subset of our functions are natural extensions of noncommutative ribbon Schur functions, and immaculate functions indexed by integer partitions.

Noncommutative Shifted Symmetric Functions

We introduce a ring of noncommutative shifted symmetric functions based on an integer-indexed sequence of shift parameters. Using generating series and quasideterminants, this multiparameter approach produces deformations of the ring of noncommutative symmetric functions. Shifted versions of ribbon Schur functions are defined and form a basis for the ring. Further, we produce analogues of Jacobi-Trudi and N\"agelsbach-Kostka formulas, a duality anti-algebra isomorphism, shifted quasi-Schur functions, and Giambelli's formula in this setup. In addition, an analogue of power sums is provided, satisfying versions of Wronski and Newton formulas. Finally, a realization of these noncommutative shifted symmetric functions as rational functions in noncommuting variables is given. These realizations have a shifted symmetry under exchange of the variables and are well-behaved under extension of the list of variables.

Pattern groups and a poset based Hopf monoid

The supercharacter theory of algebra groups gave us a representation theoretic realization of the Hopf algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. The underlying representation theoretic framework comes equipped with two canonical bases, one of which was completely new in terms of symmetric functions. This paper simultaneously generalizes this Hopf structure by considering a larger class of groups while also restricting the representation theory to a more combinatorially tractable one. Using the normal lattice supercharacter theory of pattern groups, we not only gain a third canonical basis, but also are able to compute numerous structure constants in the corresponding Hopf monoid, including coproducts and antipodes for the new bases.

Chromatic symmetric functions in noncommuting variables revisited

In 1995 Stanley introduced a generalization of the chromatic polynomial of a graph G, called the chromatic symmetric function, XG, which was generalized to noncommuting variables, YG, by Gebhard-Sagan in 2001. Recently there has been a renaissance in the study of XG, in particular in classifying when XG is a positive linear combination of elementary symmetric or Schur functions.We extend this study from XG to YG, including establishing the multiplicativity of YG, and showing YG satisfies the k-deletion property. Moreover, we completely classify when YG is a positive linear combination of elementary symmetric functions in noncommuting variables, and similarly for Schur functions in noncommuting variables, in the sense of Bergeron-Hohlweg-Rosas-Zabrocki. We further establish the natural multiplicative generalization of the fundamental theorem of symmetric functions, now in noncommuting variables, and obtain numerous new bases for this algebra whose generators are chromatic symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Finally, we show that of all known symmetric functions in noncommuting variables, only all elementary and specified Schur ones can be realized as YG for some G.

The monomial basis and the $$Q$$ Q -basis of the Hopf algebra of parking functions

Consider the vector space $\mathbb{K}\mathcal{P}$ spanned by parking functions. By representing parking functions as labeled digraphs, Hivert, Novelli and Thibon constructed a cocommutative Hopf algebra PQSym$^{*}$ on $\mathbb{K}\mathcal{P}$. The product and coproduct of PQSym$^{*}$ are analogous to the product and coproduct of the Hopf algebra NCSym of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables defined in terms of the power sum basis. In this paper, we view a parking function as a word. We shall construct a Hopf algebra PFSym on $\mathbb{K}\mathcal{P}$ with a formal basis $\{M_a\}$ analogous to the monomial basis of NCSym. By introducing a partial order on parking functions, we transform the basis $\{M_a\}$ to another basis $\{Q_a\}$ via the M\"{o}bius inversion. We prove the freeness of PFSym by finding two free generating sets in terms of the $M$-basis and the $Q$-basis, and we show that PFSym is isomorphic to the Hopf algebra PQSym$^{*}$. It turns out that our construction, when restricted to permutations and non-increasing parking functions, leads to a new way to approach the Grossman-Larson Hopf algebras of ordered trees and heap-ordered trees.

The antipode and primitive elements in the Hopf monoid of supercharacters

From a recent paper, we recall the Hopf monoid structure on the supercharacters of the unipotent uppertriangular groups over a finite field. We give cancelation free formula for the antipode applied to the bases of class functions and power sum functions, giving new cancelation free formulae for the standard Hopf algebra of supercharacters and symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. We also give partial results for the antipode on the supercharacter basis, and explicitly describe the primitives of this Hopf monoid.

Centralizers of the infinite symmetric group

We review and introduce several approaches to the study of centralizer algebras of the infinite symmetric group $S_{\infty}$. Our work is led by the double commutant relationship between finite symmetric groups and partition algebras; in the case of $S_{\infty}$, we obtain centralizer algebras that are contained in partition algebras. In view of the theory of symmetric functions in non-commuting variables, we consider representations of $S_{\infty}$ that are faithful and that contain invariant elements; namely, non-unitary representations on sequence spaces. Nous étudions les algèbres du centralisateur du groupe symétrique infini $S_{\infty}$, passant en revue certaines approches et en introduisant de nouvelles. Notre travail est basé sur la relation du double commutant entre le groupe symétrique fini et les algèbres de partition; dans le cas de $S_{\infty}$, nous obtenons des algèbres du centralisateur contenues dans les algèbres de partition. Compte tenu de la théorie des fonctions symétriques en variables non commutatives, nous considérons les représentations de $S_{\infty}$ qui sont fidèles et contiennent les invariants; c’est-à-dire, les représentations non unitaires sur les espaces de suites.

Hopf monoids from class functions on unitriangular matrices

We build, from the collection of all groups of unitriangular matrices, Hopf monoids in Joyal's category of species. Such structure is carried by the collection of class function spaces on those groups, and also by the collection of superclass function spaces, in the sense of Diaconis and Isaacs. Superclasses of unitriangular matrices admit a simple description from which we deduce a combinatorial model for the Hopf monoid of superclass functions, in terms of the Hadamard product of the Hopf monoids of linear orders and of set partitions. This implies a recent result relating the Hopf algebra of superclass functions on unitriangular matrices to symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. We determine the algebraic structure of the Hopf monoid: it is a free monoid in species, with the canonical Hopf structure. As an application, we derive certain estimates on the number of conjugacy classes of unitriangular matrices.

A SUPERCHARACTER TABLE DECOMPOSITION VIA POWER-SUM SYMMETRIC FUNCTIONS

We give an LU-decomposition of the supercharacter table of the group of n × n unipotent upper triangular matrices over 𝔽q, into a lower-triangular matrix with entries in ℤ[q] and an upper-triangular matrix with entries in ℤ[q-1]. To this end, we introduce a q deformation of a new power-sum basis of the Hopf algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. The decomposition is obtained from the transition matrices between the supercharacter basis, the q-power-sum basis and the superclass basis. This is similar to the decomposition of the character table of the symmetric group Sngiven by the transition matrices between Schur functions, monomials and power-sums. We deduce some combinatorial results associated to this decomposition. In particular, we compute the determinant of the supercharacter table.

Supercharacters, symmetric functions in noncommuting variables, and related Hopf algebras

We identify two seemingly disparate structures: supercharacters, a useful way of doing Fourier analysis on the group of unipotent uppertriangular matrices with coefficients in a finite field, and the ring of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Each is a Hopf algebra and the two are isomorphic as such. This allows developments in each to be transferred. The identification suggests a rich class of examples for the emerging field of combinatorial Hopf algebras.

The primitives and antipode in the Hopf algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables

We identify a collection of primitive elements generating the Hopf algebra NCSym of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables and give a combinatorial formula for the antipode.

Partitions, Rooks, and Symmetric Functions in Noncommuting Variables

Let $\Pi_n$ denote the set of all set partitions of $\{1,2,\ldots,n\}$. We consider two subsets of $\Pi_n$, one connected to rook theory and one associated with symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Let ${\cal E}_n\subseteq\Pi_n$ be the subset of all partitions corresponding to an extendable rook (placement) on the upper-triangular board, ${\cal T}_{n-1}$. Given $\pi\in\Pi_m$ and $\sigma\in\Pi_n$, define their slash product to be $\pi|\sigma=\pi\cup(\sigma+m)\in\Pi_{m+n}$ where $\sigma+m$ is the partition obtained by adding $m$ to every element of every block of $\sigma$. Call $\tau$ atomic if it can not be written as a nontrivial slash product and let ${\cal A}_n\subseteq\Pi_n$ denote the subset of atomic partitions. Atomic partitions were first defined by Bergeron, Hohlweg, Rosas, and Zabrocki during their study of $NCSym$, the symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. We show that, despite their very different definitions, ${\cal E}_n={\cal A}_n$ for all $n\ge0$. Furthermore, we put an algebra structure on the formal vector space generated by all rook placements on upper triangular boards which makes it isomorphic to $NCSym$. We end with some remarks.

Skew quasisymmetric Schur functions and noncommutative Schur functions

Recently a new basis for the Hopf algebra of quasisymmetric functions QSym, called quasisymmetric Schur functions, has been introduced by Haglund, Luoto, Mason, van Willigenburg. In this paper we extend the definition of quasisymmetric Schur functions to introduce skew quasisymmetric Schur functions. These functions include both classical skew Schur functions and quasisymmetric Schur functions as examples, and give rise to a new poset LC that is analogous to Young's lattice. We also introduce a new basis for the Hopf algebra of noncommutative symmetric functions NSym. This basis of NSym is dual to the basis of quasisymmetric Schur functions and its elements are the pre-image of the Schur functions under the forgetful map χ:NSym→Sym. We prove that the multiplicative structure constants of the noncommutative Schur functions, equivalently the coefficients of the skew quasisymmetric Schur functions when expanded in the quasisymmetric Schur basis, are nonnegative integers, satisfying a Littlewood–Richardson rule analogue that reduces to the classical Littlewood–Richardson rule under χ.As an application we show that the morphism of algebras from the algebra of Poirier–Reutenauer to Sym factors through NSym. We also extend the definition of Schur functions in noncommuting variables of Rosas–Sagan in the algebra NCSym to define quasisymmetric Schur functions in the algebra NCQSym. We prove these latter functions refine the former and their properties, and project onto quasisymmetric Schur functions under the forgetful map. Lastly, we show that by suitably labeling LC, skew quasisymmetric Schur functions arise in the theory of Pieri operators on posets.

A Bijection between Atomic Partitions and Unsplitable Partitions

In the study of the algebra $\mathrm{NCSym}$ of symmetric functions in noncommutative variables, Bergeron and Zabrocki found a free generating set consisting of power sum symmetric functions indexed by atomic partitions. On the other hand, Bergeron, Reutenauer, Rosas, and Zabrocki studied another free generating set of $\mathrm{NCSym}$ consisting of monomial symmetric functions indexed by unsplitable partitions. Can and Sagan raised the question of finding a bijection between atomic partitions and unsplitable partitions. In this paper, we provide such a bijection.

Supercharacters, symmetric functions in noncommuting variables (extended abstract)

We identify two seemingly disparate structures: supercharacters, a useful way of doing Fourier analysis on the group of unipotent uppertriangular matrices with coefficients in a finite field, and the ring of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables. Each is a Hopf algebra and the two are isomorphic as such. This allows developments in each to be transferred. The identification suggests a rich class of examples for the emerging field of combinatorial Hopf algebras. Nous montrons que deux structures en apparence bien différentes peuvent être identifiées: les super-caractères, qui sont un outil commode pour faire de l'analyse de Fourier sur le groupe des matrices unipotentes triangulaires supérieures à coefficients dans un corps fini, et l'anneau des fonctions symétriques en variables non-commutatives. Ces deux structures sont des algèbres de Hopf isomorphes. Cette identification permet de traduire dans une structure les dévelopements conçus pour l'autre, et suggère de nombreux exemples dans le domaine nouveau des algèbres de Hopf combinatoires.

Non-commutative holomorphic functions in elements of a Lie algebra and the absolute basis problem

We study the absolute basis problem in algebras of holomorphic functions in non-commuting variables generating a finite-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra . This is motivated by J. L. Taylor's programme of non-commutative holomorphic functional calculus in the Lie algebra framework.

THE HOPF ALGEBRAS OF SYMMETRIC FUNCTIONS AND QUASI-SYMMETRIC FUNCTIONS IN NON-COMMUTATIVE VARIABLES ARE FREE AND CO-FREE

We uncover the structure of the space of symmetric functions in non-commutative variables by showing that the underlined Hopf algebra is both free and co-free. We also introduce the Hopf algebra of quasi-symmetric functions in non-commutative variables and define the product and coproduct on the monomial basis of this space and show that this Hopf algebra is free and co-free. In the process of looking for bases which generate the space we define orders on the set partitions and set compositions which allow us to define bases which have simple and natural rules for the product of basis elements.

Branching rules in the ring of superclass functions of unipotent upper-triangular matrices

It is becoming increasingly clear that the supercharacter theory of the finite group of unipotent upper-triangular matrices has a rich combinatorial structure built on set-partitions that is analogous to the partition combinatorics of the classical representation theory of the symmetric group. This paper begins by exploring a connection to the ring of symmetric functions in non-commuting variables that mirrors the symmetric group’s relationship with the ring of symmetric functions. It then also investigates some of the representation theoretic structure constants arising from the restriction, tensor products and superinduction of supercharacters in this context.