Circular numbers and \(n\)-set partitions (Q1268603): Difference between revisions

Partitions on \(n\)-sets and their associated Bell and Stirling numbers are well-studied combinatorial entities. Less studied is the connection between these entities and the moments of a Poisson random variable. We find a natural generalization of this connection by considering the moments of the circular random variables of order \(n\) which are the sums of \(n\) independent identically distributed Poisson random variables weighted equally about the unit circle. These are shown to have relationships to the partition of an \(n\)-set whose blocks are of size divisible by \(m\). For this, a rich selection of combinatorial properties analogous to those of the Stirling numbers are explored. This includes Dobinski-type formulas, recurrence relations, and congruence properties.