Permutation statistics on involutions (Q854820)

Let \(I_n\) and \(J_n\) denote the set of involutions and the set of fixed point-free involutions in the symmetric group \(S_n\), respectively. The author studies the behaviour of classical permutation statistics on these sets. He proves the symmetry of the generating functions for the descent number \(d\) and the major index maj on \(I_n\) as well as for their joint distribution on \(I_n\). It is shown that the coefficient sequences of the generating function for the excedance number exc on \(I_n\) and the inversion number inv on \(J_n\) are log-concave. Partial unimodality is proven for the coefficient sequences of the generating functions for \(d\) on both \(I_n\) and \(J_n\). Furthermore the author studies the generating functions for the inversion statistic on involutions in Coxeter groups of types \(B\) and \(D\) and gives recursive expressions for it. The paper closes with conjectures about log-concavity and unimodality of some statistics on certain sets of involutions.