Unimodality via alternating gamma vectors (Q289988)

Summary: For a polynomial with palindromic coefficients, unimodality is equivalent to having a nonnegative \(g\)-vector. A sufficient condition for unimodality is having a nonnegative \(\gamma\)-vector, though one can have negative entries in the \(\gamma\)-vector and still have a nonnegative \(g\)-vector. In this paper we provide combinatorial models for three families of \(\gamma\)-vectors that alternate in sign. In each case, the \(\gamma\)-vectors come from unimodal polynomials with straightforward combinatorial descriptions, but for which there is no straightforward combinatorial proof of unimodality. By using the transformation from \(\gamma\)-vector to \(g\)-vector, we express the entries of the \(g\)-vector combinatorially, but as an alternating sum. In the case of the \(q\)-analogue of \(n!\), we use a sign-reversing involution to interpret the alternating sum, resulting in a manifestly positive formula for the \(g\)-vector. In other words, we give a combinatorial proof of unimodality. We consider this a ``proof of concept'' result that we hope can inspire a similar result for the other two cases, \(\prod_{j=1}^n (1+q^j)\) and the \(q\)-binomial coefficient \({n\brack k}\).