Questions tagged [schur-functions]
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90
questions
27
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3
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Majorization and Schur Polynomials
Let me first define the majorization order (or dominance order) on partitions as $\lambda \succeq \mu$ iff $$\sum _{i=1}^{k}\lambda_i \geq \sum_{i=1}^{k}\mu_i$$ for all $1\le k\le l-1$ and $$\lambda_1+...
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Bounding Schur symmetric polynomials on the unit circle
Recall the Schur polynomial in $n$ variables, indexed by the partition $\lambda$, with $\ell(\lambda) \leq n$, is given by
\begin{equation}
s_\lambda(x_1,\ldots, x_n) = a_{\lambda + \delta}(x_1, \...
18
votes
0
answers
375
views
Deforming a basis of a polynomial ring
The ring $Symm$ of symmetric functions in infinitely many variables is well-known to be a polynomial ring in the elementary symmetric functions, and has a $\mathbb Z$-basis of Schur functions $\{S_\...
16
votes
0
answers
545
views
Identity involving Schur polynomials, binomial coefficients and contents of partition
Let $C_{\lambda,\mu}$ be the coefficients defined as
$$ s_\lambda\left(\frac{x_1}{1-x_1},...,\frac{x_N}{1-x_N}\right)=\sum_{\mu\supset \lambda}C_{\lambda\mu}s_\mu(x_1,...,x_N),$$
where $s$ are the ...
15
votes
0
answers
244
views
Generalization of Newton's identities to Schur functions
In some recent work, I've stumbled across the following identity for $\lambda \vdash n$:
$$
n s_\lambda = \sum_{k=1}^n p_k \sum_{\mu \nearrow_k \lambda} (-1)^{\mathrm{ht}(\lambda/\mu)} s_\mu.
$$
Here, ...
14
votes
2
answers
836
views
Do you know an elegant proof for this expression for a Schur function?
I know that the identity
$$
s_\mu = \sum_{\mu-\lambda \text{ is a horizontal strip}} \;\sum_{\alpha\vdash|\lambda|} \frac{\chi^\lambda_\alpha}{z_\alpha} \prod_i(p_i-1)^{a_i}
$$
holds.
Here $\alpha=1^{...
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Sym(V ⊕ ∧² V) isomorphic to direct sum of all Schur functors of V
Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional $K$-vector space. Then, the symmetric power $\mathrm{Sym}\left(V\oplus \wedge^2 V\right)$ is isomorphic to the direct sum of all Schur functors applied to $V$ (each one ...
13
votes
1
answer
880
views
Why do we care about Schur Positivity
Some of the most important open problems in Algebraic Combinatorics concern the Schur positivity of classes of symmetric functions. Why is this an important property to have?
13
votes
1
answer
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Irreducibility of Schur polynomials
A natural question covering both this and this question would be
Let $n>2$. Describe Young diagrams $\lambda$ with at most $n$ nonempty rows (or equivalently non-increasing sequences $\lambda=(\...
13
votes
1
answer
389
views
Is there a Giambelli identity with dual representations?
For natural numbers $a,b$ with $b\leq n-1$, let $V_{ (a|b)}$ be the irreducible representation of $GL_n$ with highest weight vector $(a+1, 1^b, 0^{n-b-1})$ where the exponentiation denotes repetition.
...
13
votes
1
answer
669
views
Most computationally efficient Littlewood-Richardson rule
There are many, many different versions of the Littlewood-Richardson rule: the original characterization via Yamanouchi words, Remmel's version, a description via the Poirier-Reutenauer bialgebra, the ...
13
votes
0
answers
1k
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Generalization of Cauchy's identity
Let $ s_{\lambda} $ be the Schur function associated to the partition $ \lambda $.
Cauchy's identity (as in Macdonald) states that
$$
\sum_{\lambda} s_{\lambda}(X)s_{\lambda}(Y) = \prod_{i,j}(1-...
12
votes
1
answer
807
views
Plugging $1-x$ into Schur polynomials
I have a symmetric Laurent polynomial $f$ in $k$ variables expressed as a linear combination of Schur polynomials. I'd like to know what happens when I make the substitution $p(x_1,\ldots,x_k)\mapsto ...
12
votes
1
answer
643
views
Schur functors generalization to "Jack", "Hall-Littlewood", "Macdonald" functors ?
Schur functors are functors from the category of vector spaces to itself.
If we take an operator $M: V->V$ and apply a Schur functor to it and then calculate trace $Tr(M^{\Lambda})$ we will get ...
12
votes
2
answers
356
views
Lattice structure (wrt dominance order) on the set of Young diagrams appearing in the decompositions given by the Littlewood-Richardson rule
The irreducible decomposition of the tensor product of two irreducible representations of GL(n) is described by the Littlewood-Richardson rule. This same rule also governs the decomposition of the ...
11
votes
1
answer
648
views
Generating function for Schur polynomials
Consider the generating function
$$
G_n(x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n, t_1,t_2,\ldots,t_n) =\sum_{\lambda}s_{\lambda}(x_1,x_2,\ldots, x_n) t_1^{\lambda_1}t_2^{\lambda_2} \cdots t_n^{\lambda_n},
$$
where the sum ...
11
votes
1
answer
282
views
Is there a geometric interpretation of skew Schur functions?
Consider the cohomology ring of the Grassmannian of k-planes in complex n-space. It has a standard presentation as a quotient of the ring of symmetric functions. In this presentation, the Schur ...
11
votes
3
answers
1k
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A class of matrix determinants between Wronskians and Vandermondes
Update: see below
Let $M$ be an $n\times n$ matrix that's constructed as follows. Construct the right-most column of $M$ as $[\alpha_1(x_1),\cdots,\alpha_n(x_n)]^T$ for some class of fixed functions $...
11
votes
1
answer
470
views
Is the appearance of Schur functions a coincidence?
The Schur functions are symmetric functions which appear in several different contexts:
The characters of the irreducible representations for the symmetric group (under the characteristic isometry).
...
10
votes
1
answer
314
views
Integral of product of Schur functions
Schur functions are irreducible characters of the unitary group $\mathcal{U}(N)$. This implies the integration formulae
$$ \int_{\mathcal{U}(N)}s_\lambda(AUA^\dagger U^\dagger)dU=\frac{|s_\lambda(A)|^...
9
votes
1
answer
529
views
Determinant connection between Schur polynomials and power sum polynomials
Let $f_i=f_i(x_1,x_2,\ldots, x_n),i=0,1,2, \ldots $ be a family of symmetric polynomials. For the partition $\lambda=(\lambda_1,\lambda_2, \ldots, \lambda_n)$ consider the determinant
$$
D_\lambda(f)...
9
votes
1
answer
302
views
The convex hull of Schur polynomial evaluations
Let $r\leq n$ and $d$ be positive integers. A probability vector is a vector of non-negative entries that sum to 1. For each probability vector $\lambda$ of length $n$, let
$$s(\lambda)=(\dim[\pi] \...
8
votes
2
answers
523
views
An identity related to partitions into $n$ parts and Schur polynomials
While working with Schur polynomials I found what seems like a nice identity, and I wonder if it has a simple proof.
Notation: Suppose $d,n\in\mathbb{N}$, and $\lambda =(\lambda_1,\dots,\lambda_n)$ ...
8
votes
1
answer
347
views
Harmonic flow on the Young lattice
Let me begin with some preliminary concepts: A positive real-valued function $\varphi: P \rightarrow \Bbb{R}_{>0}$ on a locally finite, ranked poset $(P, \trianglelefteq)$ is harmonic if
$\varphi(\...
8
votes
0
answers
641
views
Cut-and-join equation and Schur function identity
This is somewhat related to my last MO post:
sum of the character of the symmetric group
Let $p_n$ be the $n$-th Newton symmetric function, and $s_{\nu}$ be the Schur function indexed by the ...
7
votes
2
answers
493
views
Schur polynomial, change of variable
Let $k=(k_1,k_2,k_3,k_4)\in \mathbb{N}^4$ and let $s_k(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4)$ be the Schur polynomial on $GL_4$.
Question 1: If I replace $x_3$ with $x_1$ and $x_4$ with $x_2$, can $s_k(x_1,x_2,x_1,x_2)$ ...
7
votes
2
answers
255
views
About the sum of rectangular power sums
Let $n \geq 1$ be an integer and consider the symmetric function
$$D_n = \sum_{d|n} p_d^{n/d},$$
where $p_{d}$ are the power-sum symmetric functions.
It can be checked up to $n=35$ that the symmetric ...
7
votes
1
answer
217
views
Sum of the ratios of Schur functions
There are simple expressions for the sums of linear and quadratic combinations of Schur functions over all partitions (including the empty one)
$$
\sum_\lambda s_\lambda(x)=\prod_{i}\frac{1}{1-x_i}\...
6
votes
1
answer
1k
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Sum of products of p-th powers of roots of 1 and monomial symmetric functions
Hello mathematicians,
i'm looking for explicit computations of expressions like
$$
\sum_{\substack{0\leq i,j,k<n\\i\neq j\neq k \neq i}}\zeta_n^{ip^{k_1}+jp^{k_2}+kp^{k_3}}
$$
and its ...
6
votes
2
answers
868
views
What is the most general "two in one row for A & in one column for B" theorem?
Let $A$ and $B$ be two Young tableaux, i. e. Young diagrams filled with the numbers $1$, $2$, ..., $n$ for some $n$ (not necessarily the same $n$). (They need not be semistandard.)
(a) (Etingof's ...
6
votes
1
answer
1k
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Specializations of Schur functions at consecutive integers
Given a partition λ = (λ1, λ2, ..., λn) denote with sλ the associated Schur function.
There exists a nice product formula for the principal specializations:
sλ...
6
votes
0
answers
229
views
Derivations for symmetric functions
A symmetric function is a formal power series in infinitely many variables $x_1,x_2,\dots$ invariant under the permutation of variables (as opposed to a polynomial). Let $\Lambda$ denote the algebra ...
6
votes
0
answers
252
views
Macdonald's "Symmetric Functions and Hall Polynomials" Section 1.5 Example 9
I'm trying to follow Example 9 in Section 1.5 of the 2nd edition of Macdonald's book "Symmetric Functions and Hall Polynomials". I have trouble with understanding some points.
Before stating my ...
6
votes
0
answers
254
views
a variational problem related to weighted logarithmic capacity
Consider the following multiple contour integral:
$$ \Phi_\lambda := \oint \ldots \oint \prod_{1 \le j < k \le n} (z_j^{-1} - z_k^{-1}) \prod_{j=1}^n \prod_{k=1}^n (1 - z_j x_k)^{-1} \prod_{j=1}^n ...
5
votes
3
answers
394
views
Applying $\sum_i \partial_{x_i}$, $\sum_i x_i \partial_{x_i}$ and $\sum_i x_i^2 \partial_{x_i}$ to Schur polynomials
The operators $L_k=\sum_i x_i^k\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i}$, with integer $k$, take symmetric polynomials into symmetric polynomials.
Is it known how to write the result of the application of $L_0$, ...
5
votes
2
answers
401
views
Frobenius coordinate expansion of character
Let $\lambda$ be the partition of integer $d$. The Frobenius coordinate of $\lambda$ is given
$$ (a_1 ,\ldots,a_{d(\lambda)}|b_1,\ldots,b_{d(\lambda)}),$$
where $d(\lambda)$ denote the diagonal of $\...
5
votes
1
answer
707
views
Are the Schur functions the minimal basis of the ring of symmetric functions with the following properties?
Let $\Lambda$ denote the ring of symmetric functions in variables $x_1,x_2,\dots$ and with coefficients in $\mathbf{Q}$. Then $\Lambda$ is freely generated as an $\mathbf{Q}$-algebra by $p_1,p_2,\dots$...
5
votes
2
answers
304
views
Dickson/determinant type polynomial (updated)
For $2\leq \ell \leq k$, consider the polynomial \begin{equation} P_{k,\ell} = \prod_{1\leq a_1+\ldots+a_k\leq \ell} (a_1x_1+\ldots + a_kx_k)\in \mathbb{F}_2[x_1,\ldots, x_k] \end{equation}
...
5
votes
0
answers
116
views
Sum of Schur functions associated to self-conjugate partitions
The $\tau$-function $H^\circ \big(t ;\vec{x} \big)$ associated with counting simple Hurwitz numbers is the formal power series
\begin{equation}
(\dagger) \quad H^\circ \big(t ;\vec{x} \big) \, =
\,
\...
5
votes
0
answers
394
views
Staircase Schur functions squared
Let $\Delta_n$ be the staircase-shaped partition $(n-1,n-2,\dots,1)$. Are there any non-obvious combinatorial objects that index $s_{\Delta_n}^2$? Here, $s_\lambda$ is the Schur function indexed by ...
4
votes
1
answer
304
views
Nonnegativity locus of Schur polynomials
Let $a_1,\ldots,a_n \in \mathbb{C}$ be complex numbers that are the zeros of a real polynomial (meaning that the non-real ones come in complex conjugate pairs). Suppose that these numbers are such ...
4
votes
1
answer
320
views
Decompostion of hook schur function in terms of cauchy product of holonomic functions
Let $s_{\lambda}$ denote the schur function and $\lambda$ is the partion of an integer. The schur function written in power sum symmetric basis apper as following. $\chi$ denote the character.
\begin{...
4
votes
2
answers
451
views
About Cauchy identity for Schur polynomials
(This was originally posted here, https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/4687466/cauchy-identity-for-schur-functions, and I am reposting it here as it seems to be more appropriate.)
PRELIMINARY.
The ...
4
votes
1
answer
233
views
Significance of partition containment in representation theory of $\operatorname{GL}_n$
I'm working on a Schur positivity problem and I came across a series of Schur polynomials (all in $n$ variables) whose indexing partitions are (conjecturally) contained in one of some given set of ...
4
votes
1
answer
448
views
Is this simple symmetry of Littlewood-Richardson coefficients known?
Let $\lambda$ be a partition with at most $p$ parts, let $\mu$ be a partition with at most $q$ parts, and let $\nu$ be a partition with at most $p+q$ parts. Let $m\geq \nu_1$ be an integer. We denote ...
4
votes
1
answer
237
views
proof of result from Ian Macdonald's paper "A New Class of Symmetric Functions"
I'm currently working my way through Ian MacDonald's somewhat seminal 1988 paper entitled "A New Class of Symmetric Functions" in Seminaire Lotharingien B20a, pp. 131–171 (EuDML). I'm fine ...
4
votes
1
answer
216
views
Decomposing tensor powers of the fundamental representation of exceptional Lie algebras
For the $A$-series, tensor powers of the fundamental representation of $\frak{sl}_n$ decompose into irreducibles according to a certain Young diagram/ partition formula. This inspires, for example, ...
4
votes
2
answers
304
views
LGV scheme for lattice paths that move in non-unit spatial positive steps
In the Lindström–Gessel–Viennot lemma (LGV) applied to the $Z^2$-lattice paths are taken to move in unit spatial-steps in unit time (see here).
What do we mean by "time"? In the language of ...
4
votes
1
answer
303
views
Generalization of Frobenius formula involving Macdonald polynomials
Given a vector $\vec k=(k_1,k_2,\cdots)$ with $k_i$ are non-negative integers, the Newton polynomial $p_{\vec k}(x)$ is defined as
\begin{equation}
p_{\vec k}(x)=\prod_{j=1}^n p_j^{k_j}(x)~,
\end{...
4
votes
0
answers
96
views
Representation-theoretic interpretation of double Schur polynomials
The Schur polynomials
$$s_\lambda(x_1, \ldots, x_n) = \frac{|x_i^{\lambda_j+n-j}|_{1\le i,j\le n}}{|x_i^{n-j}|_{1\le i,j\le n}}$$
naturally appear as polynomial representatives for Schubert classes in ...