Permutation statistics on the alternating group (Q705230)

Let S\(_n\) and A\(_n\) be the symmetric and the alternating group on a set of cardinality \(n\). One is interested in the refined count of permutations according to nonnegative, integer-valued combinatorial parameters. For example, the number of inversions in a permutation \(\pi\) -- namely its length -- is such a parameter (this is the minimal number of adjacent transpositions, which generate the subgroup containing \(\pi\)). Another important parameter is the so-called major index of \(\pi\), introduced by MacMahon in his `Combinatorial analysis'. Two parameters that have the same generating function are said to be equidistributed. MacMahon proved that the length and the major-index statistics are equidistributed on S\(_n\). The above statistics fail to be equidistributed on A\(_n\). The main goal of this paper is to find statistics on A\(_n\) which are natural analogues of the above S\(_n\) statistics and are equidistributed on A\(_n\), yielding analogous identities for their generating functions. To obtain additional information, we suggest the reader to read this interesting paper.