Trees, arborescences, and symmetric square roots (Q1893977)

Let \({\mathbf C}\) be the complex number field and \(\mathcal A\) be the set of atomic species (up to isomorphism). A species \(G\) in \({\mathbf C}[[{\mathcal A}]]\) is said to be a square root of a species \(F\) in \({\mathbf C}[[{\mathcal A}]]\) if the equation \(G^2= F\) holds. Similarly, a species \(G\) is said to be a symmetric square root of a species \(F\) if \(E_2(G)= F\) holds, where \(E_2\) denotes the species of unordered pairs. Although not every species possesses a square root, the authors prove in the reviewed paper that it always possesses at least one (and at most two) symmetric square roots. In particular, they show that the species \(X\) of singletons has a unique symmetric square root whose expansion begins with the terms \(- 1- X- E_2(X)+ X^2+ XE_2(X)- X^3+\dots\). They also show that, up to an affine transformation, the species of rooted trees is one of the two symmetric square roots of the species of trees. In this case, the other symmetric square root has rational coefficients, but its combinatorial interpretation is unknown. The authors consider some generalizations and directions for future investigations.