On \(t\)-core and self-conjugate \((2t-1)\)-core partitions in arithmetic progressions (Q2040494)

Let \(\mathrm{c}_t(n)\) and \(\mathrm{sc}_t(n)\) denote, respectively, the number of \(t\)-core partitions and the number of self-conjugate \(t\)-core partitions of \(n\), where \(t,n \in \mathbb{N}\). A partition is self-conjugate if it remains the same when rows and columns of Ferrers-Young diagram are switched. \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{L. Sze} [Acta Arith. 80, No. 3, 249--272 (1997; Zbl 0868.11047)] investigated \(4\)-core partitions and class numbers and found the relationship between them. They proved that if \(8n+5\) is square-free then \(\mathrm{c}_t(n) =\frac{1}{2}H(32n+20)\), where \(H(D)\) is the \(D\)-th Hurwitz class number. \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{W. Raji} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 180, Article ID 105427, 9 p. (2021; Zbl 1459.05012)] found similar relations between self-conjugate \(7\)-core partitions and class numbers. They showed that if \(n\not\equiv -2 \pmod 7 \) is a positive odd integer then \[ \mathrm{sc}_7(n)= \begin{cases} \frac{1}{4}H(D_n), \quad & n\equiv 1 \pmod 4 \\ \frac{1}{2}H(D_n), \quad & n\equiv 3 \pmod 8 \\ 0 \quad & n\equiv 7 \pmod 8 \end{cases} \] where \[ D_n = \begin{cases} 28n+56, \quad & n\equiv 1 \pmod 4 \\ 7n+14, \quad & n\equiv 3 \pmod 4. \end{cases} \] Combining the above results, the authors deduced that for \(n\not\equiv 4 \pmod 7 \) and \(56n+21\) square-free, \[ 2 \mathrm{sc}_7(8n+1)= \mathrm{c}_4(7n+2), \] thus claiming the existence of a deeper relationship between \(t\)-core partitions \(\mathrm{c}_t(n) \) and self-conjugate \((2t-1)\)-core partitions \(\mathrm{sc}_{2t-1}(n)\). The paper is concerned with the study of this relationship, with the main results pertaining to the case \(t=4\). In particular, the authors proved the formula representing \( \mathrm{sc}_7(n) \) as a linear combination of Hurwitz class numbers, namely, for every \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) \[ \mathrm{sc}_7(n)=\frac{1}{4}\left( H(28n+56) - H\left(\frac{4n+8}{7} \right)-2H(7n+14)+2H\left(\frac{n+2}{7} \right) \right) \] where \(\left(\frac{\cdot}{\cdot}\right) \) denote the extended Jacobi symbol and for \(n\in\mathbb{Q}\), \( H(n):=0\) if \(n\notin\mathbb{Z} \) or \(-n\) is not a discriminant. They also obtained the formula for \( \mathrm{sc}_7(n) \) in terms of a single class number. The authors also provide a combinatorial explanation of the formula \(2 \mathrm{sc}_7(8n+1)= \mathrm{c}_4(7n+2)\), which is based on the theory of abaci and extension of techniques of \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{L. Sze} [Acta Arith. 80, No. 3, 249--272 (1997; Zbl 0868.11047)], and on \(t\)-residue diagrams [\textit{G. James} and \textit{A. Kerber}, The representation theory of the symmetric group. Foreword by P. M. Cohn, introduction by G. de B. Robinson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1981; Zbl 0491.20010)]. Based on their results, the authors formulate the following conjecture: ``The only occurrence of arithmetic progressions for which \(\mathrm{c}_t \) and \(\mathrm{sc}_{2t-1}\) agree up to integer multiples non-trivially (even asymptotically) is when \(t=4\)''. for which the authors gave only partial results, as ``this appears to be a difficult problem''. The interest in core and self-conjugate core partitions is explained by their non-trivial and subtle connections with various areas of number theory, e.g., Ramanujan congruences for the partition function \(p(n)\), modular forms, the modular representation theory of symmetric groups.