Symmetric functions and a natural framework for combinatorial and number theoretic sequences

Exact enumeration problems, generating functions (05A15) Combinatorial aspects of partitions of integers (05A17) Symmetric functions and generalizations (05E05) Bernoulli and Euler numbers and polynomials (11B68) Bell and Stirling numbers (11B73) Elementary theory of partitions (11P81)

Abstract: Certain triples of power series, considered by I. Macdonald, give a natural framework for many combinatorial and number theoretic sequences, such as the Stirling, Bernoulli and harmonic numbers and partitions of different kinds. The power series in such a triple are closely linked by identities coming from the theory of symmetric functions. We extend the work of Z-H. Sun, who developed similar ideas, and Macdonald, revealing more of the structure of these triples. De Moivre polynomials play a key role in this study.

Review text

The paper under review investigates some particular triples of power series. The author discusses Arbogast's formula (a.k.a. Faà di Bruno's formula), De Moivre polynomials, symmetric polynomials, symmetric triples (including Stirling numbers, harmonic numbers, generalized Pascal identities, and hypergeometric summation identities), \(q\)-series (including \(q\)-binomial coefficients, partition polynomials, and triangular numbers), and compositional inverses. Throughout the paper, the author provides numerous interesting and helpful examples, including those concerning binomial coefficients, Hermite polynomials, Bernoulli numbers, Bernoulli polynomials, Eulerian polynomials, hyperbolic sine, Gamma function, D'Arcais polynomials, triangular numbers, Schur's identity, Lucas sequences, and Chebyshev polynomials. The motivation and most of the background material come from \textit{I. G. Macdonald} [Symmetric functions and Hall polynomials. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press (1995; Zbl 0824.05059)], \textit{A. De Moivre} [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 19, No. 230, 619--625 (1697)] and \textit{Z.-H. Sun} [J. Number Theory 114, No. 1, 88--123 (2005; Zbl 1197.11021)]. Sun examined some properties of Newton-Euler pairs, and Macdonald provided a basic structure for combinatorial and number theoretic sequences, including Stirling, Bernoulli, harmonic numbers, as well as partitions of different kinds.

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