Schubert polynomials and classes of Hessenberg varieties (Q975080)

A fundamental open problem in combinatorial representation theory and algebraic geometry is to give closed formulas for calculations in the cohomology ring of the full flag variety \(\mathcal F:=SL_n/B\) in terms of the basis of Schubert classes. The paper under review answers a part of this question by expressing the classes of certain subvarieties of the flag variety, called \textit{regular semisimple Hessenberg varieties}, in terms of the Schubert classes. Regular semisimple Hessenberg varieties are a family of subvarieties of the flag variety that arise in number theory, numerical analysis, representation theory, algebraic geometry, and combinatorics. The authors give a ``Giambelli formula'' expressing the classes of regular semisimple Hessenberg varieties in terms of Chern classes. In fact, they show that the cohomology class of each regular semisimple Hessenberg variety is the specialization of a certain double Schubert polynomial, giving a natural geometric interpretation to such specializations. They also decompose such classes in terms of the Schubert basis for the cohomology ring of the flag variety. The coefficients obtained are nonnegative, and they give closed combinatorial formulas for the coefficients in many cases. They introduce a closely related family of schemes called regular nilpotent Hessenberg schemes, and use their results to determine when such schemes are reduced.