Search

We give an explicit raising operator formula for the modified Macdonald polynomials $\tilde{H}_{\mu }(X;q,t)$, which follows from our recent formula for $\nabla$ on an LLT polynomial and the Haglund-Haiman-Loehr formula expressing modified Macdonald polynomials as sums of LLT polynomials. Our method just as easily yields a formula for a family of symmetric functions $\tilde{H}^{1,n}(X;q,t)$ that we call $1,n$-Macdonald polynomials, which reduce to a scalar multiple of $\tilde{H}_{\mu}(X;q,t)$ when $n=1$. We conjecture that the coefficients of $1,n$-Macdonald polynomials in terms of Schur functions belong to $\mathbb{N}[q,t]$, generalizing Macdonald positivity., Comment: 20 pages

In a companion paper, we introduced raising operator series called Catalanimals. Among them are Schur Catalanimals, which represent Schur functions inside copies $\Lambda (X^{m,n})\subset \mathcal{E} $ of the algebra of symmetric functions embedded in the elliptic Hall algebra $\mathcal{E} $ of Burban and Schiffmann. Here we obtain a combinatorial formula for symmetric functions given by a class of Catalanimals that includes the Schur Catalanimals. Our formula is expressed as a weighted sum of LLT polynomials, with terms indexed by configurations of nested lattice paths called nests, having endpoints and bounding constraints controlled by data called a den. Applied to Schur Catalanimals for the alphabets $X^{m,1}$ with $n=1$, our `nests in a den' formula proves the combinatorial formula conjectured by Loehr and Warrington for $\nabla^m s_{\mu }$ as a weighted sum of LLT polynomials indexed by systems of nested Dyck paths. When $n$ is arbitrary, our formula establishes an $(m,n)$ version of the Loehr-Warrington conjecture. In the case where each nest consists of a single lattice path, the nests in a den formula reduces to our previous shuffle theorem for paths under any line. Both this and the $(m,n)$ Loehr-Warrington formula generalize the $(km,kn)$ shuffle theorem proven by Carlsson and Mellit (for $n=1$) and Mellit. Our formula here unifies these two generalizations., Comment: 57 pages, 6 figures. Updated cross-reference to arXiv:2112.07063

We identify certain combinatorially defined rational functions which, under the shuffle to Schiffmann algebra isomorphism, map to LLT polynomials in any of the distinguished copies $\Lambda (X^{m,n})\subset \mathcal{E}$ of the algebra of symmetric functions embedded in the elliptic Hall algebra $\mathcal{E}$ of Burban and Schiffmann. As a corollary, we deduce an explicit raising operator formula for the $\nabla$ operator applied to any LLT polynomial. In particular, we obtain a formula for $\nabla ^m s_\lambda$ which serves as a starting point for our proof of the Loehr-Warrington conjecture in a companion paper to this one., Comment: 37 pages, 4 figures. Updated cross-reference to arXiv:2112.07070

We prove the Extended Delta Conjecture of Haglund, Remmel, and Wilson, a combinatorial formula for $\Delta _{h_l}\Delta' _{e_k} e_{n}$, where $\Delta' _{e_k}$ and $\Delta_{h_l}$ are Macdonald eigenoperators and $e_n$ is an elementary symmetric function. We actually prove a stronger identity of infinite series of $GL_m$ characters expressed in terms of LLT series. This is achieved through new results in the theory of the Schiffmann algebra and its action on the algebra of symmetric functions., Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures

We generalize the shuffle theorem and its $(km,kn)$ version, as conjectured by Haglund et al. and Bergeron et al., and proven by Carlsson and Mellit, and Mellit, respectively. In our version the $(km,kn)$ Dyck paths on the combinatorial side are replaced by lattice paths lying under a line segment whose $x$ and $y$ intercepts need not be integers, and the algebraic side is given either by a Schiffmann algebra operator formula or an equivalent explicit raising operator formula. We derive our combinatorial identity as the polynomial truncation of an identity of infinite series of $GL_{l}$ characters, expressed in terms of infinite series versions of LLT polynomials. The series identity in question follows from a Cauchy identity for non-symmetric Hall-Littlewood polynomials., Comment: 43 pages, 7 figures; v4: fixed missing reference and minor spacing mistakes

We prove that the $K$-$k$-Schur functions are part of a family of inhomogenous symmetric functions whose top homogeneous components are Catalan functions, the Euler characteristics of certain vector bundles on the flag variety. Lam-Schilling-Shimozono identified the $K$-$k$-Schur functions as Schubert representatives for $K$-homology of the affine Grassmannian for SL$_{k+1}$. Our perspective reveals that the $K$-$k$-Schur functions satisfy a shift invariance property, and we deduce positivity of their branching coefficients from a positivity result of Baldwin and Kumar. We further show that a slight adjustment of our formulation for $K$-$k$-Schur functions produces a second shift-invariant basis which conjecturally has both positive branching and a rectangle factorization property. Building on work of Ikeda-Iwao-Maeno, we conjecture that this second basis gives the images of the Lenart-Maeno quantum Grothendieck polynomials under a $K$-theoretic analog of the Peterson isomorphism., Comment: 24 pages

The Peterson comparison formula proved by Woodward relates the three-pointed Gromov-Witten invariants for the quantum cohomology of partial flag varieties to those for the complete flag. Another such comparison can be obtained by composing a combinatorial version of the Peterson isomorphism with a result of Lapointe and Morse relating quantum Littlewood-Richardson coefficients for the Grassmannian to k-Schur analogs in the homology of the affine Grassmannian obtained by adding rim hooks. We show that these comparisons on quantum cohomology are equivalent, up to Postnikov's strange duality isomorphism., Comment: 28 pages; added several references, final version to appear in Algebr. Represent. Theory

Catalan functions, the graded Euler characteristics of certain vector bundles on the flag variety, are a rich class of symmetric functions which include $k$-Schur functions and parabolic Hall-Littlewood polynomials. We prove that Catalan functions indexed by partition weight are the characters of $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}_\ell)$-generalized Demazure crystals as studied by Lakshmibai-Littelmann-Magyar and Naoi. We obtain Schur positive formulas for these functions, settling conjectures of Chen-Haiman and Shimozono-Weyman. Our approach more generally gives key positive formulas for graded Euler characteristics of certain vector bundles on Schubert varieties by matching them to characters of generalized Demazure crystals., Comment: 52 pages, 5 figures

We introduce a type $A$ crystal structure on decreasing factorizations of fully-commutative elements in the 0-Hecke monoid which we call $\star$-crystal. This crystal is a $K$-theoretic generalization of the crystal on decreasing factorizations in the symmetric group of the first and last author. We prove that under the residue map the $\star$-crystal intertwines with the crystal on set-valued tableaux recently introduced by Monical, Pechenik and Scrimshaw. We also define a new insertion from decreasing factorization to pairs of semistandard Young tableaux and prove several properties, such as its relation to the Hecke insertion and the uncrowding algorithm. The new insertion also intertwines with the crystal operators., Comment: 37 pages; in revision 1 Sections 3.1, 4.3 and 4.4 were updated; in revision 2 the phrase 321-avoiding is replaced by fully-commutative, typos are fixed, reference added

We make a broad conjecture about the $k$-Schur positivity of Catalan functions, symmetric functions which generalize the (parabolic) Hall-Littlewood polynomials. We resolve the conjecture with positive combinatorial formulas in cases which address the $k$-Schur expansion of (1) Hall-Littlewood polynomials, proving the $q=0$ case of the strengthened Macdonald positivity conjecture of Lapointe, Lascoux, and Morse; (2) the product of a Schur function and a $k$-Schur function when the indexing partitions concatenate to a partition, describing a class of Gromov-Witten invariants for the quantum cohomology of complete flag varieties; (3) $k$-split polynomials, proving a substantial case of a problem of Broer and Shimozono-Weyman on parabolic Hall-Littlewood polynomials. In addition, we prove the conjecture that $k$-Schur functions defined in terms of $k$-split polynomials agree with strong tableau $k$-Schur functions., Comment: 33 pages

We prove that graded $k$-Schur functions are $G$-equivariant Euler characteristics of vector bundles on the flag variety, settling a conjecture of Chen-Haiman. We expose a new miraculous shift invariance property of the graded $k$-Schur functions and resolve the Schur positivity and $k$-branching conjectures in the strongest possible terms by providing direct combinatorial formulas using strong marked tableaux., Comment: 43 pages, 2 figures

The non-negative integer cocharge statistic on words was introduced in the 1970's by Lascoux and Sch\"utzenberger to combinatorially characterize the Hall-Littlewood polynomials. Cocharge has since been used to explain phenomena ranging from the graded decomposition of Garsia-Procesi modules to the cohomology structure of the Grassman variety. Although its application to contemporary variations of these problems had been deemed intractable, we prove that the two-parameter, symmetric Macdonald polynomials are generating functions of a distinguished family of colored words. Cocharge adorns one parameter and the second measures its deviation from cocharge on words without color. We use the same framework to expand the plactic monoid, apply Kashiwara's crystal theory to various Garsia-Haiman modules, and to address problems in K-theoretic Schubert calculus., Comment: 25 pages

We give a direct combinatorial proof of the $q,t$-symmetry relation $\tilde H_{\mu}(X;q,t)=\tilde H_{\mu'}(X;t,q)$ in the Macdonald polynomials $\tilde H_\mu$ at the specialization $q=1$. The bijection demonstrates that the Macdonald inv statistic on the permutations of any given row of a Young diagram filling is Mahonian. Moreover, our bijection gives rise a family of new bijections on words that preserves the classical Mahonian inv statistic., Comment: 10 pages; submitted to FPSAC 2017

We give a new description of the Pieri rule for k-Schur functions using the Bruhat order on the affine type-A Weyl group. In doing so, we prove a new combinatorial formula for representatives of the Schubert classes for the cohomology of affine Grassmannians. We show how new combinatorics involved in our formulas gives the Kostka-Foulkes polynomials and discuss how this can be applied to study the transition matrices between Hall-Littlewood and k-Schur functions., Comment: 12 pages

We introduce two families of symmetric functions with an extra parameter t that specialize to Schubert representatives for cohomology and homology of the affine Grassmannian when t = 1. The families are defined by a statistic on combinatorial objects associated to the type-A affine Weyl group and their transition matrix with Hall-Littlewood polynomials is t-positive. We conjecture that one family is the set of k-atoms., Comment: 12 pages

The problem of computing products of Schubert classes in the cohomology ring can be formulated as the problem of expanding skew Schur polynomials into the basis of ordinary Schur polynomials. In contrast, the problem of computing the structure constants of the Grothendieck ring of a Grassmannian variety with respect to its basis of Schubert structure sheaves is not equivalent to expanding skew stable Grothendieck polynomials into the basis of ordinary stable Grothendiecks. Instead, we show that the appropriate K-theoretic analogy is through the expansion of skew reverse plane partitions into the basis of polynomials which are Hopf-dual to stable Grothendieck polynomials. We combinatorially prove this expansion is determined by Yamanouchi set-valued tableaux. A by-product of our results is a dual approach proof for Buch's K-theoretic Littlewood-Richardson rule for the product of stable Grothendieck polynomials., Comment: 18 pages; references added; minor revisions

We apply crystal theory to affine Schubert calculus, Gromov-Witten invariants for the complete flag manifold, and the positroid stratification of the positive Grassmannian. We introduce operators on decompositions of elements in the type-$A$ affine Weyl group and produce a crystal reflecting the internal structure of the generalized Young modules whose Frobenius image is represented by stable Schubert polynomials. We apply the crystal framework to products of a Schur function with a $k$-Schur function, consequently proving that a subclass of 3-point Gromov-Witten invariants of complete flag varieties for $\mathbb C^n$ enumerate the highest weight elements under these operators. Included in this class are the Schubert structure constants in the (quantum) product of a Schubert polynomial with a Schur function $s_\lambda$ for all $|\lambda^\vee|< n$. Another by-product gives a highest weight formulation for various fusion coefficients of the Verlinde algebra and for the Schubert decomposition of certain positroid classes., Comment: 42 pages; version to appear in IMRN

We definitively establish that the theory of symmetric Macdonald polynomials aligns with quantum and affine Schubert calculus using a discovery that distinguished weak chains can be identified by chains in the strong (Bruhat) order poset on the type-$A$ affine Weyl group. We construct two one-parameter families of functions that respectively transition positively with Hall-Littlewood and Macdonald's $P$-functions, and specialize to the representatives for Schubert classes of homology and cohomology of the affine Grassmannian. Our approach leads us to conjecture that all elements in a defining set of 3-point genus 0 Gromov-Witten invariants for flag manifolds can be formulated as strong covers., Comment: 29 pages

This book is an exposition of the current state of research of affine Schubert calculus and $k$-Schur functions. This text is based on a series of lectures given at a workshop titled "Affine Schubert Calculus" that took place in July 2010 at the Fields Institute in Toronto, Ontario. The story of this research is told in three parts: 1. Primer on $k$-Schur Functions 2. Stanley symmetric functions and Peterson algebras 3. Affine Schubert calculus, Comment: 213 pages; conference website: http://www.fields.utoronto.ca/programs/scientific/10-11/schubert/, updates and corrections since v1. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DMS-0652641

Using the expansion of the inverse of the Kostka matrix in terms of tabloids as presented by Egecioglu and Remmel, we show that the fusion coefficients can be expressed as an alternating sum over cylindric tableaux. Cylindric tableaux are skew tableaux with a certain cyclic symmetry. When the skew shape of the tableau has a cutting point, meaning that the cylindric skew shape is not connected, or if its weight has at most two parts, we give a positive combinatorial formula for the fusion coefficients. The proof uses a slight modification of a sign-reversing involution introduced by Remmel and Shimozono. We discuss how this approach may work in general., Comment: 11 pages

We study the class $\mathcal C$ of symmetric functions whose coefficients in the Schur basis can be described by generating functions for sets of tableaux with fixed shape. Included in this class are the Hall-Littlewood polynomials, $k$-atoms, and Stanley symmetric functions; functions whose Schur coefficients encode combinatorial, representation theoretic and geometric information. While Schur functions represent the cohomology of the Grassmannian variety of $GL_n$, Grothendieck functions $\{G_\lambda\}$ represent the $K$-theory of the same space. In this paper, we give a combinatorial description of the coefficients when any element of $\mathcal C$ is expanded in the $G$-basis or the basis dual to $\{G_\lambda\}$., Comment: 23 pages

We introduce a $q,t$-enumeration of Dyck paths which are forced to touch the main diagonal at specific points and forbidden to touch elsewhere and conjecture that it describes the action of the Macdonald theory $\nabla$ operator applied to a Hall-Littlewood polynomial. Our conjecture refines several earlier conjectures concerning the space of diagonal harmonics including the "shuffle conjecture" (Duke J. Math. $\mathbf {126}$ (2005), pp. 195-232) for $\nabla e_n[X]$. We bring to light that certain generalized Hall-Littlewood polynomials indexed by compositions are the building blocks for the algebraic combinatorial theory of $q,t$-Catalan sequences and we prove a number of identities involving these functions., Comment: 20 pages