Dimensions of compositions modulo a prime (Q6925665)

The paper parallels \textit{I. G. Macdonald}'s classic result [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 3, 189--192 (1971; Zbl 0219.20008)] on the number of irreducible representations of the symmetric group \(\mathfrak{S}_n\) with dimension coprime to a prime \(p\) (using the hook-length formula and \(p\)-cores/quotients). It shifts focus to the \(0\)-Hecke algebra \(H_n(0)\), a deformation of the group algebra of \(\mathfrak{S}_n\), whose projective indecomposable modules \(\mathcal{P}_\alpha\) are indexed by compositions \(\alpha \models n\) with dimension given by the ribbon number \(r_\alpha\) (size of the descent class with descent set \(D(\alpha)\)). The goal is to count, for each residue \(i \bmod p\), how many compositions have \(r_\alpha \equiv i \pmod{p}\), and to extend this to other finite Coxeter groups.\N\NThe paper determines the ``composition dimension \(p\)-vector'' \(c_p(n)\) that counts compositions \(\alpha \models n\) by the congruence class of \(r_\alpha \mod p\). Explicit descriptions are given for certain \(n\) (e.g., multiples of powers of \(p\), sums of distinct powers of \(p\); for \(p=2\) this covers all \(n\)). Extensions to types \(B\) and \(D\) show that all ribbon numbers are odd; some computational data is provided for exceptional types.\N\NThe key method is expressing \(r_\alpha\) as an alternating sum of multinomial coefficients and applying \textit{L. E. Dickson}'s theorem [Annals of Math. 11, 65--120, 161--183 (1896; JFM 28.0135.03)] on congruences of multinomial coefficients modulo \(p\) to classify when \(r_\alpha \equiv i \pmod{p}\). The same approach works for types \(A\), \(B\), and \(D\).\N\NIn Section 2, the author prepares some preliminaries. In Section 3, he gives results for type \(A\). In Sections 4 and 5, he extends the results to types \(B\) and \(D\). In Section 6, he discusses the exceptional types and some questions for future research.