Continued fractions, \(q\)-Catalan numbers, and \(q\)-Genocchi polynomials (Q5961464)

The author considers two continued fractions containing several parameters, one of which is \(t\). The first continued fraction is of Jacobi type, the second of Stieltjes type. Both can be expanded as a power series in \(t\). The main theorem of the paper is a combinatorial description of the coefficients as generating functions for involutions, respectively Genocchi permutations. (The latter are permutations \(\tau\) on an even number of elements with the property that \(\tau(2i-1)>2i-1\) and \(\tau(2i)\leq 2i\).) The weight with respect to which the involutions are counted keeps track of fixed points, inversions, ``crossings'', ``imbricate pairs'', and the sum of the peaks in cycles minus the sum of the valleys in cycles, all independently from each other. The weight with respect to which the Genocchi permutations are counted keeps track of fixed points and inversions. The proof consists of combining Flajolet's combinatorial description of a Jacobi type continued fraction in terms of weighted Motzkin paths and a bijection of \textit{Ph. Biane} [Eur. J. Comb. 14, No. 4, 277-284 (1993; Zbl 0784.05005)] between marked Motzkin paths and permutations, and then keeping track of the various statistics under Biane's construction. Specializations of the main theorem cover many results that appeared earlier in the literature. Also, a new combinatorial interpretation of Carlitz's \(q\)-Catalan numbers is given.