A Schur function identity (Q5961546)

The purpose of this paper is to give a bijective proof of the following identity for Schur functions. This identity arose in the work of \textit{M. Ciucu} [Enumeration of perfect matchings in graphs with reflective symmetry, preprint, 1995] and was stated as a conjecture there.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINETheorem 1.1 (Ciucu's Conjecture): Let \(T=\{t_1<t_2<\cdots<t_{2r}\}\) be a set of positive integers. For every subset \(U=\{t_{i_1}<\cdots<t_{i_k}\}\subseteq T\) we denote by \(\lambda(U)\) the partition with parts \(t_{i_k}-k+1\geq\cdots\geq t_{i_2}-1\geq t_{i_1}\). For every subset \(U\subseteq T\) we denote by \(T-U\) the complement of \(U\) in \(T\). Then we have: NEWLINE\[NEWLINE\sum_{U\subset T:|U|=r} s_{\lambda(U)}s_{\lambda(T-U)}= 2^rs_{\lambda(t_1,t_3,\dots,t_{2r-1})}s_{\lambda(t_2,t_4,\dots,t_{2r})}.NEWLINE\]NEWLINE An algebraic proof of this identity by means of Laplace expansions of certain determinants was found by G. Tesler (private communication).