On cluster variables of rank two acyclic cluster algebras (Q1928585)

Given indeterminates \(x_{1},x_{2}\) and positive integers \(b,c\) one can generate a sequence \(\left\{ x_{n}\right\} \) recursively by setting \(x_{m+1}=\left( x_{m}^{k}+1\right) /x_{m-1}\), where \(k=b\) if \(m\) is odd, \(k=c\) if \(m\) is even. Then \(\mathbb{Q}\left( x_{1},x_{2}\right) \) has a subring generated by \(\left\{ x_{n}\right\} \); this algebra, denoted \(\mathcal{A}\left( b,c\right) \) is a coefficient free cluster algebra of rank 2, and the \(x_{n}\)'s are called cluster variables. Each of the \(x_{n}\) can be represented as a Laurent polynomial in \(x_{1},x_{2}\): the Positivity Conjecture states that the coefficients are positive. It is known that this conjecture holds for \(b,c\in\left\{ 1,2\right\}\). In this work, the author considers the case \(b=c\geq2,\) obtaining an explicit formula for \(x_{n}\) in terms of \(x_{1}\) and \(x_{2}.\) This expression uses ``modified'' coefficient which is closely related to the generalized binomial coefficient. Many of the modified binomial coefficients used here are positive, providing evidence for the conjecture above. Previously, \textit{Ph. Caldero} and \textit{A. Zelevinsky} [Mosc. Math. J. 6, No. 3, 411--429 (2006; Zbl 1133.16012)] obtained an expression for \(x_{n}\) in terms of the Euler-Poincaré characteristic of the variety Gr\(_{\left( e_{1},e_{2}\right) }\left( M\left( n\right) \right) \). Their expression has a similar form to the formula above. Thus, as an application, the formula above is used to compute \(\chi\left( \text{Gr}_{\left( e_{1},e_{2}\right) }\left( M\left( n\right) \right) \right) .\) In this expression, all but one of the modified binomial coefficients are positive; furthermore, for large \(e_{2}\) the remaining coefficient is also positive. Under this additional condition \(\chi\left( \text{Gr}_{\left( e_{1},e_{2}\right) }\left( M\left( n\right) \right) \right) \) can be clearly seen to be manifestly positive.