Kronecker multiplicities in the \((k,\ell)\) hook are polynomially bounded. (Q2017152)

This article is concerned with the \textit{Kronecker problem}, a famously difficult problem in the ordinary representation theory of the symmetric group. This problem asks for the decomposition into irreducibles of the (internal) tensor product of two ordinary irreducible characters of the symmetric group. Specifically, given partitions \(\lambda,\mu,\nu\) of \(n\), the Kronecker problem asks for the multiplicity \(\kappa(\lambda,\mu,\nu)\) of \(\chi^\nu\) as a constituent of the tensor product \(\chi^\lambda\otimes\chi^\mu\). The main result is as follows: fix positive integers \(k,l\), and assume that \(\lambda,\mu\) both lie in the \textit{\((k,l)\)-hook}, i.e.\ the set of partitions \(\lambda\) for which \(\lambda_{k+1}\leq l\). Then there are constants \(a,b\) (depending on \(k,l\) but not on \(n\)) such that \(\kappa(\lambda,\mu,\nu)\leq an^b\). The proof is a nice one, mostly involving manipulations of Littlewood-Richardson coefficients, with some helpful lemmas imported from elsewhere. This result is very interesting in the context of the Kronecker problem, since so little is known about asymptotics for the multiplicities \(\kappa(\lambda,\mu,\nu)\). The paper will serve as a good short reference for experts who know the subject well and just want to see a proof, but will not be particularly accessible otherwise: the author makes very little attempt to explain the state of knowledge around the Kronecker problem or to put his results in context. The paper appears to have been written in a hurry, with a rather disjointed and abrupt introduction, and some strange notational choices. For example, given a character \(\varphi\) the author introduces the notation \(\chi^\lambda\in\varphi\) to mean \(\chi^\lambda\leq\varphi\); why not just write \(\chi^\lambda\leq\varphi\)? The author also introduces the notation \(\langle\lambda,\mu\rangle\) to mean \(\langle\chi^\lambda,\chi^\mu\rangle\), but then appears not to use it. References are unhelpful -- for example, Proposition 2.3 is cited from a 58-page paper without giving a page or theorem number. The poor quality of the paper is exacerbated by the apparent decision by the Israel Journal of Mathematics not to employ copy-editors: there are several typographical errors and spelling mistakes (including in the running head!). In summary, this is a decent piece of mathematics, let down by a poorly written and produced paper.