q Statistics on $S_n$ and Pattern Avoidance

Natural q analogues of classical statistics on the symmetric groups $S_n$ are introduced; parameters like: the q-length, the q-inversion number, the q-descent number and the q-major index. MacMahon's theorem about the equi-distribution of the inversion number and the reverse major index is generalized to all positive integers q. It is also shown that the q-inversion number and the q-reverse major index are equi-distributed over subsets of permutations avoiding certain patterns. Natural q analogues of the Bell and the Stirling numbers are related to these q statistics -- through the counting of the above pattern-avoiding permutations.