A combinatorial formula for certain elements of upper cluster algebras (Q2353233)

In this paper, the authors produce and investigate certain elements of upper cluster algebras. From an initial seed \(\Sigma\) and a sequence of integers \(\mathbf{a}\in \mathbb{Z}^n\), the authors define a particular Laurent polynomial with positive coefficients. They then prove that this Laurent polynomial, denoted by \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\), is an element of the upper cluster algebra associated to \(\Sigma\). An alternate construction of \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\) in terms of Dyck paths is also discussed. The collection of elements \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\) possess some interesting properties. For example, the authors show that each \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\), \(\mathbf{a}\in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}^n\), can be factored into a product of ``elementary'' \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}']\)s, where each entry in \(\mathbf{a}'\in\mathbb{Z}^n\) is \(0\) or \(1\). They also prove that \(\{\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\}_{\mathbf{a}\in\mathbb{Z}^n}\) is a \(\mathbb{Z}\mathbb{P}\)-basis for the associated cluster algebra \(\mathcal{A}\) in the case where \(\mathcal{A}\) is acyclic of geometric type, and \(\Sigma\) is an acyclic seed. The elements \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\) are also useful for studying non-acyclic cluster algebras. In particular, the authors prove that a non-acyclic rank three skew-symmetric cluster algebra \(\mathcal{A}\) of geometric type is not equal to its upper cluster algebra \(\mathcal{U}\). In their proof, they show that a particular element of \(\mathcal{U}\), constructed using a particular \(\tilde{x}_{\Sigma}[\mathbf{a}]\), is not in the cluster algebra \(\mathcal{A}\).