Noncrossing Partitions Research Articles

On maximal chains in the non-crossing partition lattice

A weak order on the set of maximal chains of the non-crossing partition lattice is introduced and studied. A 0-Hecke algebra action is used to compute the radius of the graph on these chains in which two chains are adjacent if they differ in exactly one element.

Annular noncrossing permutations and minimal transitive factorizations

We give a combinatorial proof of Goulden and Jackson's formula for the number of minimal transitive factorizations of a permutation when the permutation has two cycles. We use the recent result of Goulden, Nica, and Oancea on the number of maximal chains of annular noncrossing partitions of type B.

Dynamic programming for graphs on surfaces

We provide a framework for the design and analysis of dynamic programming algorithms for surface-embedded graphs on n vertices and branchwidth at most k . Our technique applies to general families of problems where standard dynamic programming runs in 2 O ( k ⋅log k ) ⋅ n steps. Our approach combines tools from topological graph theory and analytic combinatorics. In particular, we introduce a new type of branch decomposition called surface cut decomposition , generalizing sphere cut decompositions of planar graphs, which has nice combinatorial properties. Namely, the number of partial solutions that can be arranged on a surface cut decomposition can be upper-bounded by the number of noncrossing partitions on surfaces with boundary. It follows that partial solutions can be represented by a single-exponential (in the branchwidth k ) number of configurations. This proves that, when applied on surface cut decompositions, dynamic programming runs in 2 O ( k ) ⋅ n steps. That way, we considerably extend the class of problems that can be solved in running times with a single-exponential dependence on branchwidth and unify/improve most previous results in this direction.

SIF Permutations and Chord-Connected Permutations

A <i>stabilized-interval-free </i> (SIF) permutation on [n], introduced by Callan, is a permutation that does not stabilize any proper interval of [n]. Such permutations are known to be the irreducibles in the decomposition of permutations along non-crossing partitions. That is, if $s_n$ denotes the number of SIF permutations on [n], $S(z)=1+\sum_{n\geq1} s_n z^n$, and $F(z)=1+\sum_{n\geq1} n! z^n$, then $F(z)= S(zF(z))$. This article presents, in turn, a decomposition of SIF permutations along non-crossing partitions. Specifically, by working with a convenient diagrammatic representation, given in terms of perfect matchings on alternating binary strings, we arrive at the \emphchord-connected permutations on [n], counted by $\{c_n\}_{n\geq1}$, whose generating function satisfies $S(z)= C(zS(z))$. The expressions at hand have immediate probabilistic interpretations, via the celebrated <i>moment-cumulant formula </i>of Speicher, in the context of the <i>free probability theory </i>of Voiculescu. The probability distributions that appear are the exponential and the complex Gaussian.

Positroids, non-crossing partitions, and positively oriented matroids

We investigate the role that non-crossing partitions play in the study of positroids, a class of matroids introduced by Postnikov. We prove that every positroid can be constructed uniquely by choosing a non-crossing partition on the ground set, and then freely placing the structure of a connected positroid on each of the blocks of the partition. We use this to enumerate connected positroids, and we prove that the probability that a positroid on [n] is connected equals $1/e^2$ asymptotically. We also prove da Silva's 1987 conjecture that any positively oriented matroid is a positroid; that is, it can be realized by a set of vectors in a real vector space. It follows from this result that the positive matroid Grassmannian (or <i>positive MacPhersonian</i>) is homeomorphic to a closed ball.

Genus one partitions

We prove the conjecture by M. Yip stating that counting genus one partitions by the number of their elements and parts yields, up to a shift of indices, the same array of numbers as counting genus one rooted hypermonopoles. Our proof involves representing each genus one permutation by a four-colored noncrossing partition. This representation may be selected in a unique way for permutations containing no trivial cycles. The conclusion follows from a general generating function formula that holds for any class of permutations that is closed under the removal and reinsertion of trivial cycles. Our method also provides another way to count rooted hypermonopoles of genus one, and puts the spotlight on a class of genus one permutations that is invariant under an obvious extension of the Kreweras duality map to genus one permutations. Nous démontrons la conjecture de M. Yip affirmant que compter les partitions de genre un par le nombre de leurs éléments et leurs parties donne, à un décalage d’indices près, la même gamme de nombres que celle qui résulte en comptant les hypermonopoles de genre un. Notre preuve utilise une représentation de chaque permutation de genre un par une partition non-croisée quatricolorée. Cette représentation peut être choisi d’une manière unique pour les permutations qui ne contiennent pas des cycles triviaux. La conclusion suit d’une formule des fonctions génératrices générale qui vaut pour toute classe de permutations qui est fermé sous l’enlèvement et la réinsertion des cycles triviaux. Notre méthode offre une autre manière de compter les hypermonopoles enracinés de genre un, et dirige l’attention sur une extension évidente de la dualité de Kreweras sur les permutations de genre un.

Crossings and Nestings in Colored Set Partitions

Chen, Deng, Du, Stanley, and Yan introduced the notion of $k$-crossings and $k$-nestings for set partitions, and proved that the sizes of the largest $k$-crossings and $k$-nestings in the partitions of an $n$-set possess a symmetric joint distribution. This work considers a generalization of these results to set partitions whose arcs are labeled by an $r$-element set (which we call $r$-colored set partitions). In this context, a $k$-crossing or $k$-nesting is a sequence of arcs, all with the same color, which form a $k$-crossing or $k$-nesting in the usual sense. After showing that the sizes of the largest crossings and nestings in colored set partitions likewise have a symmetric joint distribution, we consider several related enumeration problems. We prove that $r$-colored set partitions with no crossing arcs of the same color are in bijection with certain paths in $\mathbb{N}^r$, generalizing the correspondence between noncrossing (uncolored) set partitions and 2-Motzkin paths. Combining this with recent work of Bousquet-Mélou and Mishna affords a proof that the sequence counting noncrossing 2-colored set partitions is P-recursive. We also discuss how our methods extend to several variations of colored set partitions with analogous notions of crossings and nestings.

Rational Associahedra and Noncrossing Partitions

Each positive rational number $x>0$ can be written uniquely as $x=a/(b-a)$ for coprime positive integers $0<a<b$. We will identify $x$ with the pair $(a,b)$. In this paper we define for each positive rational $x>0$ a simplicial complex $\mathsf{Ass}(x)=\mathsf{Ass}(a,b)$ called the rational associahedron. It is a pure simplicial complex of dimension $a-2$, and its maximal faces are counted by the rational Catalan number $$\mathsf{Cat}(x)=\mathsf{Cat}(a,b):=\frac{(a+b-1)!}{a!\,b!}.$$The cases $(a,b)=(n,n+1)$ and $(a,b)=(n,kn+1)$ recover the classical associahedron and its "Fuss-Catalan" generalization studied by Athanasiadis-Tzanaki and Fomin-Reading. We prove that $\mathsf{Ass}(a,b)$ is shellable and give nice product formulas for its $h$-vector (the rational Narayana numbers) and $f$-vector (the rational Kirkman numbers). We define $\mathsf{Ass}(a,b)$ via rational Dyck paths: lattice paths from $(0,0)$ to $(b,a)$ staying above the line $y = \frac{a}{b}x$. We also use rational Dyck paths to define a rational generalization of noncrossing perfect matchings of $[2n]$. In the case $(a,b) = (n, mn+1)$, our construction produces the noncrossing partitions of $[(m+1)n]$ in which each block has size $m+1$.

A Poset Fiber Theorem for Doubly Cohen-Macaulay Posets and Its Applications

This paper studies topological properties of the lattices of non-crossing partitions of types A and B and of the poset of injective words. Specifically, it is shown that after the removal of the bottom and top elements (if existent) these posets are doubly Cohen-Macaulay. This strengthens the well-known facts that these posets are Cohen-Macaulay. Our results rely on a new poset fiber theorem which turns out to be a useful tool to prove double (homotopy) Cohen- Macaulayness of a poset. Applications to complexes of injective words are also included.

Poisson approximations on the free Wigner chaos

We prove that an adequately rescaled sequence $\{F_n\}$ of self-adjoint operators, living inside a fixed free Wigner chaos of even order, converges in distribution to a centered free Poisson random variable with rate $\lambda>0$ if and only if $\varphi(F_n^4)-2\varphi(F_n^3)\rightarrow2\lambda^2-\lambda$ (where $\varphi$ is the relevant tracial state). This extends to a free setting some recent limit theorems by Nourdin and Peccati [Ann. Probab. 37 (2009) 1412-1426] and provides a noncentral counterpart to a result by Kemp et al. [Ann. Probab. 40 (2012) 1577-1635]. As a by-product of our findings, we show that Wigner chaoses of order strictly greater than 2 do not contain nonzero free Poisson random variables. Our techniques involve the so-called "Riordan numbers," counting noncrossing partitions without singletons.

THE DISCRETE FUNDAMENTAL GROUP OF THE ASSOCIAHEDRON, AND THE EXCHANGE MODULE

The associahedron is an object that has been well studied and has numerous applications, particularly in the theory of operads, the study of non-crossing partitions, lattice theory and more recently in the study of cluster algebras. We approach the associahedron from the point of view of discrete homotopy theory. We study the abelianization of the discrete fundamental group, and show that it is free abelian of rank [Formula: see text]. We also find a combinatorial description for a basis of this rank. We also introduce the exchange module of the type An cluster algebra, used to model the relations in the cluster algebra. We use the discrete fundamental group to the study of exchange module, and show that it is also free abelian of rank [Formula: see text].

Multivariate Fuss-Narayana Polynomials and their Application to Random Matrices

It has been shown recently that the limit moments of $W(n)=B(n)B^{*}(n)$, where $B(n)$ is a product of $p$ independent rectangular random matrices, are certain homogeneous polynomials $P_{k}(d_0,d_1, \ldots , d_{p})$ in the asymptotic dimensions of these matrices. Using the combinatorics of noncrossing partitions, we explicitly determine these polynomials and show that they are closely related to polynomials which can be viewed as {\it multivariate Fuss-Narayana polynomials}. Using this result, we compute the moments of $\varrho_{t_1}\boxtimes \varrho_{t_2}\boxtimes\ldots \boxtimes \varrho_{t_m}$ for any positive $t_1,t_2, \ldots , t_m$, where $\boxtimes$ is the free multiplicative convolution in free probability and $\varrho_{t}$ is the Marchenko-Pastur distribution with shape parameter $t$.

A group action on noncrossing partitions

Let NCn denote the set of noncrossing partitions of [n]={1,2,…,n}. By defining a group action on the set NCn, we give a combinatorial interpretation of the expansion of the n-th Narayana polynomial on the basis {qk(1+q)n−1−2k},k=0,1,…,⌊(n−1)/2⌋.

A uniform bijection between nonnesting and noncrossing partitions

In 2007, D.I. Panyushev defined a remarkable map on the set of nonnesting partitions (antichains in the root poset of a finite Weyl group). In this paper we use Panyushev's map, together with the well-known Kreweras complement, to construct a bijection between nonnesting and noncrossing partitions. Our map is defined uniformly for all root systems, using a recursion in which the map is assumed to be defined already for all parabolic subsystems. Unfortunately, the proof that our map is well defined, and is a bijection, is case-by-case, using a computer in the exceptional types. Fortunately, the proof involves new and interesting combinatorics in the classical types. As consequences, we prove several conjectural properties of the Panyushev map, and we prove two cyclic sieving phenomena conjectured by D. Bessis and V. Reiner.

Asymptotic enumeration of non-crossing partitions on surfaces

We generalize the notion of non-crossing partition on a disk to general surfaces with boundary. For this, we consider a surface Σ and introduce the number CΣ(n) of non-crossing partitions of a set of n points lying on the boundary of Σ. Our main result is an asymptotic estimate for CΣ(n). The proofs use bijective techniques arising from map enumeration, joint with the symbolic method and singularity analysis on generating functions. An outcome of our results is that the exponential growth of CΣ(n) is the same as the one of the n-th Catalan number, i.e., does not change when we move from the case where Σ is a disk to general surfaces with boundary.

On the Shard Intersection Order of a Coxeter Group

Introduced by Reading, the shard intersection order of a finite Coxeter group $W$ is a lattice structure on the elements of $W$ that contains the poset of noncrossing partitions $NC(W)$ as a sublattice. Building on work of Bancroft in the case of the symmetric group, we provide combinatorial models for shard intersections of all classical types and use this understanding to prove that the shard intersection order is EL-shellable. Further, inspired by work of Simion and Ullman on the lattice of noncrossing partitions, we show that the shard intersection order on the symmetric group admits a symmetric Boolean decomposition, i.e., a partition into disjoint Boolean algebras whose middle ranks coincide with the middle rank of the poset. Our decomposition also yields a new symmetric Boolean decomposition of the noncrossing partition lattice.

On multiple pattern avoiding set partitions

We study classes of set partitions determined by the avoidance of multiple patterns, applying a natural notion of partition containment that has been introduced by Sagan. We say that two sets S and T of patterns are equivalent if for each n the number of partitions of size n avoiding all the members of S is the same as the number of those that avoid all the members of T.Our goal is to classify the equivalence classes among two-element pattern sets of several general types. First, we focus on pairs of patterns {σ,τ}, where σ is a pattern of size three with at least two distinct symbols and τ is an arbitrary pattern of size k that avoids σ. We show that pattern-pairs of this type determine a small number of equivalence classes; in particular, the classes have on average exponential size in k. We provide a (sub-exponential) upper bound for the number of equivalence classes, and provide an explicit formula for the generating function of all such avoidance classes, showing that in all cases this generating function is rational.Next, we study partitions avoiding a pair of patterns of the form (1212,τ), where τ is an arbitrary pattern. Note that partitions avoiding 1212 are exactly the non-crossing partitions. We provide several general equivalence criteria for pattern-pairs of this type, and show that these criteria account for all the equivalences observed when τ has size at most six.In the last part of the paper, we perform a full classification of the equivalence classes of all the pairs {σ,τ}, where σ and τ have size four.

Promotion and rowmotion

We present an equivariant bijection between two actions—promotion and rowmotion—on order ideals in certain posets. This bijection simultaneously generalizes a result of R. Stanley concerning promotion on the linear extensions of two disjoint chains and certain cases of recent work of D. Armstrong, C. Stump, and H. Thomas on noncrossing and nonnesting partitions. We apply this bijection to several classes of posets, obtaining equivariant bijections to various known objects under rotation. We extend the same idea to give an equivariant bijection between alternating sign matrices under rowmotion and under B. Wieland’s gyration. Finally, we define two actions with related orders on alternating sign matrices and totally symmetric self-complementary plane partitions.

Wigner chaos and the fourth moment

We prove that a normalized sequence of multiple Wigner integrals (in a fixed order of free Wigner chaos) converges in law to the standard semicircular distribution if and only if the corresponding sequence of fourth moments converges to 2, the fourth moment of the semicircular law. This extends to the free probabilistic, setting some recent results by Nualart and Peccati on characterizations of central limit theorems in a fixed order of Gaussian Wiener chaos. Our proof is combinatorial, analyzing the relevant noncrossing partitions that control the moments of the integrals. We can also use these techniques to distinguish the first order of chaos from all others in terms of distributions; we then use tools from the free Malliavin calculus to give quantitative bounds on a distance between different orders of chaos. When applied to highly symmetric kernels, our results yield a new transfer principle, connecting central limit theorems in free Wigner chaos to those in Gaussian Wiener chaos. We use this to prove a new free version of an important classical theorem, the Breuer-Major theorem.

Statistics of Blocks in k-Divisible Non-Crossing Partitions

We derive a formula for the expected number of blocks of a given size from a non-crossing partition chosen uniformly at random. Moreover, we refine this result subject to the restriction of having a number of blocks given.Furthermore, we generalize to $k$-divisible partitions. In particular, we find that, asymptotically, the expected number of blocks of size $t$ of a $k$-divisible non-crossing partition of $nk$ elements chosen uniformly at random is $\frac{kn+1}{(k+1)^{t+1}}$. Similar results are obtained for type $B$ and type $D$ non-crossing partitions of Armstrong.