Trivariate symmetries on the Genocchi numbers (Q1916060)

The Genocchi numbers are defined by the generating function \[ G(t)= {2t\over e^t+ 1}= t+ \sum^\infty_{n= 1} (- 1)^n {t^{2n}\over (2n)i} G_{2n}. \] They have been given a combinatorial interpretation by \textit{D. Dumont} [Duke Math. J. 41, 305-318 (1974; Zbl 0297.05004)]: \(G_{2n}\) is the number of maps from \(\{1,\dots, 2n\}\) to itself, whose range is exactly the set of the even numbers, and such that \(f(j)\geq j\) for all \(j\). This has led \textit{D. Dumont} and \textit{D. Foata} [Bull. Soc. Math. France 104(1976), 433-451 (1977; Zbl 0362.05018)] to introduce a trivariate statistics on the sets \(A_n\) of such maps, whose generating polynomials \(F_n(x, y, z)\) satisfy the recursion relations \[ F_1(x, y, z)= 1,\;F_n(x, y, z)= (x+ y)(x+ z) F_{n- 1}(x+ 1, y, z)- x^2 F_{n- 1}(x, y, z). \] The polynomials \(F_n\) are symmetric in the three variables, and this motivated Dumont and Foata to describe bijective transformations on \(A_n\) which exchange the three statistics. The elements of \(A_n\) are most conveniently represented as ``staircases''. In the paper under review, the author introduces the sets \(A^U_n\) of ``\(U\)-evaluated staircases'' depending on a parameter \(U\) which can take \(3^{n- 1}\) values, the set \(A_n\) corresponding to a certain choice of \(U\). He defines a trivariate statistics on the set \(A^U_n\), and then shows that its generating polynomials are the Dumont-Foata polynomials \(F_n\). The symmetry of the statistics is easily seen from the definitions of the sets \(A^U_n\), so that this provides a simple proof of the symmetry of the polynomials \(F_n\). Also the connection with the Dumont-Foata statistics is made, by exhibiting an involution on the set \(A_n\), which exchanges the Dumont-Foata statistics and the one considered in this paper.