Alternating formulas for \(K\)-theoretic quiver polynomials (Q2572628)

For a chain of vector bundle maps \(E_0\to E_1\to\cdots\to E_n\) over a base space \(B\) and an integer array \(r=(r_{i,j})_{i\leq j}\) one can associate a degeneracy locus \(\Omega_r\) in \(B\): the set of points over which the rank of \(E_i\to E_j\) is at most \(r_{i,j}\). The cohomology class represented by this class in \(B\) can be expressed in terms of the Chern classes of the vector bundles. This expression has remarkable combinatorial properties, studied by various authors, e.g. it has a certain positivity property. One can also consider the \(K\)-theoretic analogue of this expression. Buch wrote this quiver \(K\)-polynomial in terms of stable Grothendieck polynomials, and conjectured that the coefficients have alternating signs. In the paper under review the author proves another form of the quiver \(K\)-polynomial, the ``stable double component formula'', a sum of expressions labeled by ``lace diagrams''. As a corollary he proves the conjecture of Buch on the signs of the coefficients.