English

Boolean product polynomials, Schur positivity, and Chern plethysm

Combinatorics 2019-03-01 v1

Abstract

Let 1kn1\leq k \leq n and let Xn=(x1,,xn)X_n = (x_1, \dots, x_n) be a list of nn variables. The {\em Boolean product polynomial} Bn,k(Xn)B_{n,k}(X_n) is the product of the linear forms iSxi\sum_{i \in S} x_i where SS ranges over all kk-element subsets of {1,2,,n}\{1, 2, \dots, n\}. We prove that Boolean product polynomials are Schur positive. We do this via a new method of proving Schur positivity using vector bundles and a symmetric function operation we call {\em Chern plethysm}. This gives a geometric method for producing a vast array of Schur positive polynomials whose Schur positivity lacks (at present) a combinatorial or representation theoretic proof. We relate the polynomials Bn,k(Xn)B_{n,k}(X_n) for certain kk to other combinatorial objects including derangements, positroids, alternating sign matrices, and reverse flagged fillings of a partition shape. We also relate Bn,n1(Xn)B_{n,n-1}(X_n) to a bigraded action of the symmetric group Sn\mathfrak{S}_n on a divergence free quotient of superspace.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1902.11165,
  title  = {Boolean product polynomials, Schur positivity, and Chern plethysm},
  author = {Sara C. Billey and Brendon Rhoades and Vasu Tewari},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1902.11165},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

20 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-23T07:54:23.707Z