Unimodality via alternating gamma vectors

zbMATH Open1338.05015arXiv1601.04979MaRDI QIDQ289988FDOQ289988

Authors: Charles Brittenham, T. Kyle Petersen, Connor Thomas, Andrew T. Carroll 

Publication date: 1 June 2016

Published in: The Electronic Journal of Combinatorics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: For a polynomial with palindromic coefficients, unimodality is equivalent to having a nonnegative $g$-vector. A sufficient condition for unimodality is having a nonnegative $gamma$-vector, though one can have negative entries in the $gamma$-vector and still have a nonnegative $g$-vector. In this paper we provide combinatorial models for three families of $gamma$-vectors that alternate in sign. In each case, the $gamma$-vectors come from unimodal polynomials with straightforward combinatorial descriptions, but for which there is no straightforward combinatorial proof of unimodality. By using the transformation from $gamma$-vector to $g$-vector, we express the entries of the $g$-vector combinatorially, but as an alternating sum. In the case of the $q$-analogue of $n!$, we use a sign-reversing involution to interpret the alternating sum, resulting in a manifestly positive formula for the $g$-vector. In other words, we give a combinatorial proof of unimodality. We consider this a "proof of concept" result that we hope can inspire a similar result for the other two cases, $pro{d}_{j=1}^n(1+q^j)$ and the $q$-binomial coefficients.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.04979

File on IPFS (Hint: this is only the Hash - if you get a timeout, this file is not available on our server.)

Recommendations

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4051626
• Gamma-positivity in combinatorics and geometry
• Unimodality polynomials and generalized Pascal triangles
• Kathy O'Hara's Constructive Proof of the Unimodality of the Gaussian Polynomials
• $q$-binomials and related symmetric unimodal polynomials

zbMATH Keywords

unimodalitysign-reversing involutions

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Combinatorial identities, bijective combinatorics (05A19)

Cites Work

• Combinatorics and commutative algebra.
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Weyl Groups, the Hard Lefschetz Theorem, and the Sperner Property
• On the unimodality of some partition polynomials
• A new class of \(q\)-Fibonacci polynomials
• Generalized Fibonacci polynomials and fibonomial coefficients
• Unimodality of partitions with distinct parts inside Ferrers shapes
• The \(\gamma \)-vector of a barycentric subdivision
• Théorie géométrique des polynômes eulériens
• Real root conjecture fails for five- and higher-dimensional spheres
• Unimodality, log-concavity, real-rootedness and beyond
• Combinatorial Interpretations of Binomial Coefficient Analogues Related to Lucas Sequences
• An Alternate Approach to Alternating Sums: A Method to DIE for
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• A Unimodality Result in the Enumeration of Subgroups of a Finite Abelian Group
• A Theorem on Reciprocal Polynomials with Applications to Permutations and Compositions
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Kathy O'Hara's Constructive Proof of the Unimodality of the Gaussian Polynomials
• Unimodality of Gaussian coefficients: A constructive proof

Cited In (4)

• Positivity of Narayana polynomials and Eulerian polynomials
• Lucas atoms
• Positivity and divisibility of enumerators of alternating descents
• Polynomials with palindromic and unimodal coefficients

This page was built for publication: Unimodality via alternating gamma vectors

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q289988)