On t-core and self-conjugate (2t-1)-core partitions in arithmetic progressions

DOI10.1016/J.JCTA.2021.105479MaRDI QIDQ2040494zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Kathrin Bringmann, Ben Kane, Joshua Males

Publication date 14 July 2021

Published in Journal of Combinatorial Theory. Series A (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.07020

zbMATH Keywords

\(t\)-core partitionsAbaci and \(t\)-residue diagramsbinary quadratic formshook lengthHurwitz class numbers

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Combinatorial aspects of partitions of integers (05A17) Class numbers of quadratic and Hermitian forms (11E41) Holomorphic modular forms of integral weight (11F11) Partitions; congruences and congruential restrictions (11P83) Modular representations and characters (20C20)

Abstract: We extend recent results of Ono and Raji, relating the number of self-conjugate $7$-core partitions to Hurwitz class numbers. Furthermore, we give a combinatorial explanation for the curious equality $2operatorname{sc}_7(8n+1)=operatorname{c}_4(7n+2)$. We also conjecture that an equality of this shape holds if and only if $t=4$, proving the cases $tin2,3,5$ and giving partial results for $t>5$.

Review text

Let \(\mathrm{c}_t(n)\) and \(\mathrm{sc}_t(n)\) denote, respectively, the number of \(t\)-core partitions and the number of self-conjugate \(t\)-core partitions of \(n\), where \(t,n \in \mathbb{N}\). A partition is self-conjugate if it remains the same when rows and columns of Ferrers-Young diagram are switched. \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{L. Sze} [Acta Arith. 80, No. 3, 249--272 (1997; Zbl 0868.11047)] investigated \(4\)-core partitions and class numbers and found the relationship between them. They proved that if \(8n+5\) is square-free then \(\mathrm{c}_t(n) =\frac{1}{2}H(32n+20)\), where \(H(D)\) is the \(D\)-th Hurwitz class number. \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{W. Raji} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 180, Article ID 105427, 9 p. (2021; Zbl 1459.05012)] found similar relations between self-conjugate \(7\)-core partitions and class numbers. They showed that if \(n\not\equiv -2 \pmod 7 \) is a positive odd integer then \[ \mathrm{sc}_7(n)= \begin{cases} \frac{1}{4}H(D_n), \quad & n\equiv 1 \pmod 4 \\ \frac{1}{2}H(D_n), \quad & n\equiv 3 \pmod 8 \\ 0 \quad & n\equiv 7 \pmod 8 \end{cases} \] where \[ D_n = \begin{cases} 28n+56, \quad & n\equiv 1 \pmod 4 \\ 7n+14, \quad & n\equiv 3 \pmod 4. \end{cases} \] Combining the above results, the authors deduced that for \(n\not\equiv 4 \pmod 7 \) and \(56n+21\) square-free, \[ 2 \mathrm{sc}_7(8n+1)= \mathrm{c}_4(7n+2), \] thus claiming the existence of a deeper relationship between \(t\)-core partitions \(\mathrm{c}_t(n) \) and self-conjugate \((2t-1)\)-core partitions \(\mathrm{sc}_{2t-1}(n)\). The paper is concerned with the study of this relationship, with the main results pertaining to the case \(t=4\). In particular, the authors proved the formula representing \( \mathrm{sc}_7(n) \) as a linear combination of Hurwitz class numbers, namely, for every \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) \[ \mathrm{sc}_7(n)=\frac{1}{4}\left( H(28n+56) - H\left(\frac{4n+8}{7} \right)-2H(7n+14)+2H\left(\frac{n+2}{7} \right) \right) \] where \(\left(\frac{\cdot}{\cdot}\right) \) denote the extended Jacobi symbol and for \(n\in\mathbb{Q}\), \( H(n):=0\) if \(n\notin\mathbb{Z} \) or \(-n\) is not a discriminant. They also obtained the formula for \( \mathrm{sc}_7(n) \) in terms of a single class number. The authors also provide a combinatorial explanation of the formula \(2 \mathrm{sc}_7(8n+1)= \mathrm{c}_4(7n+2)\), which is based on the theory of abaci and extension of techniques of \textit{K. Ono} and \textit{L. Sze} [Acta Arith. 80, No. 3, 249--272 (1997; Zbl 0868.11047)], and on \(t\)-residue diagrams [\textit{G. James} and \textit{A. Kerber}, The representation theory of the symmetric group. Foreword by P. M. Cohn, introduction by G. de B. Robinson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (1981; Zbl 0491.20010)]. Based on their results, the authors formulate the following conjecture: ``The only occurrence of arithmetic progressions for which \(\mathrm{c}_t \) and \(\mathrm{sc}_{2t-1}\) agree up to integer multiples non-trivially (even asymptotically) is when \(t=4\). for which the authors gave only partial results, as ``this appears to be a difficult problem. The interest in core and self-conjugate core partitions is explained by their non-trivial and subtle connections with various areas of number theory, e.g., Ramanujan congruences for the partition function \(p(n)\), modular forms, the modular representation theory of symmetric groups.

Recommendations

• Class numbers and self-conjugate 7-cores
• Self-conjugate \(t\)-core partitions and applications
• Self-conjugate core partitions and modular forms
• The number of self-conjugate core partitions
• Identities for self-conjugate 7- and 9-core partitions

Cites work

• 4-core partitions and class numbers
• An asymptotic formula for the \(t\)-core partition function and a conjecture of Stanton
• Class numbers and self-conjugate 7-cores
• Cranks and t-cores
• Defect zero blocks for finite simple groups
• ELEMENTARY PROOFS OF VARIOUS FACTS ABOUT 3-CORES
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• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3771876 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2038304 (Why is no real title available?)
• Self-conjugate core partitions and modular forms
• Sums involving the values at negative integers of \(L\)-functions of quadratic characters
• The blocks of finite general linear and unitary groups

Cited in

(8)

• Arithmetical properties of the number of \(t\)-core partitions
• The number of self-conjugate core partitions
• Identities for self-conjugate 7- and 9-core partitions
• Infinite families of arithmetic identities for self-conjugate 5-cores and 7-cores
• Self-conjugate core partitions and modular forms
• Self-conjugate \(t\)-core partitions and applications
• A crank-based approach to the theory of 3-core partitions
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 7822857 (Why is no real title available?)

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