\(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci tableaux (Q1011706)

The generalized Young lattice (or rim-hook lattice) \(Y^r\) and the Fibonacci lattice \(Z(r)\) are the best-known examples of \textit{\(r\)-differential posets}. The authors extend to general \(Z(r)\) several notions and results which have been established for \(Y^r\) (Young tableaux for \(r=1\), ribbon tableaux for general \(r\)) and for \(Z(1)\) (Fibonacci tableaux) and \(Z(2)\) (domino Fibonacci tableaux). A starting point is the well-known formula \(\sum_{\lambda\vdash n}(f^{\lambda})^2=n!\); this can be proved using the Schensted insertion algorithm, which gives an explicit bijection between permutations in \(S_n\) and pairs \((P,Q)\) of standard Young tableaux. This formula has been generalized to any \(r\)-differential poset \(\mathcal P\), \(\sum_{\lambda\in\mathcal{P}_n} e(\lambda)^2=r^{n}n!\), and has been proved using analogues of the Schensted bijection for all \(Y^r\), and for \(Z(1)\) and \(Z(2)\) (the last case by the authors). In this paper the authors introduce the notion of a \textit{\(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci tableau} and describe a \textit{\(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci insertion algorithm} which takes \(k\)-coloured permutations to pairs \((P,Q)\), where \(P\) is a standard \(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci tableau and \(Q\) is a \(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci path tableau. Using Fomin's method of representing a (coloured) permutation with a square diagram, they employ a growth function to obtain a pair \((\hat{P},\hat{Q})\) of \(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci path tableaux. In contrast to the Young lattice where \(P=\hat{P}\) and \(Q=\hat{Q}\), in the Fibonacci case \(Q=\hat{Q}\) but \(P\neq\hat{P}\). The authors describe an \textit{evacuation algorithm}, or map \(ev\), which gives a bijection between standard \(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci tableaux and \(k\)-ribbon Fibonacci path tableaux, and prove that \(ev(P)=\hat{P}\). They also obtain a colour-to-spin property as for ribbon tableaux, \(colour(\pi)=spin(P,Q)\), where \((P,Q)\) is the pair corresponding to the permutation \(\pi\) under the insertion algorithm. The authors give a geometric interpretation of insertion which also produces the insertion tableau \(P\), and define permutations to be \textit{\(P\)-equivalent} if they produce the same \(P\). For Young tableaux \(P\)-equivalence is the same as Knuth equivalence, but the Knuth relations do not preserve Fibonacci \(P\)-equivalence. The article is very clearly written, and all important definitions and algorithms are illustrated with examples.