A note on three types of quasisymmetric functions (Q2583661)

Recall that a quasisymmetric function is a formal series in \({\mathbb Z}[[x_1,x_2,\ldots]]\), of bounded degree and such that the coefficient of \(x_{i_1}^{\alpha_1}\cdots x_{i_k}^{\alpha_k}\) is the same for all \(k\)-tuples of positive integers \((\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_k)\). A \(P\)-partition is an order-preserving map from a partially ordered set \(P\) to some countable totally ordered set. In the paper under review the author uses known results on generating functions for \(P\)-partitions to revisit three flavors of quasisymmetric functions: Gessel quasisymmetric functions, Chow type B quasisymmetric functions, and Poirier signed quasisymmetric functions. He uses the inner coproduct to give a combinatorial description, in terms of counting pairs of permutations, to the multiplication in the Solomon descent algebras of types A and B and the Mantaci-Reutenauer algebra.