Alan D. Sokal

I present and analyze a quadratically convergent algorithm for computing the infinite product \prod_{n=1}^\infty (1 - tx^n) for arbitrary complex t and x satisfying |x| < 1, based on the identity \prod_{n=1}^\infty (1 - tx^n) =…

Given a lower-triangular matrix of real numbers, one can ask the following four total-positivity questions: total positivity of the triangle itself; total positivity of its row-reversal; Toeplitz-total positivity of its row sequences…

We introduce some classes of increasing labeled and multilabeled trees, and we show that these trees provide combinatorial interpretations for certain Thron-type continued fractions with coefficients that are quasi-affine of period 2. Our…

A permutation is said to be cycle-alternating if it has no cycle double rises, cycle double falls or fixed points; thus each index $i$ is either a cycle valley ($\sigma^{-1}(i)>i<\sigma(i)$) or a cycle peak ($\sigma^{-1}(i)<i>\sigma(i)$).…

I analyze an unexpected connection between multiple orthogonal polynomials, $d$-orthogonal polynomials, production matrices and branched continued fractions. This work can be viewed as a partial extension of Viennot's combinatorial theory…

We study three combinatorial models for the lower-triangular matrix with entries $t_{n,k} = \binom{n}{k} n^{n-k}$: two involving rooted trees on the vertex set $[n+1]$, and one involving partial functional digraphs on the vertex set $[n]$.…

We give a continued-fraction characterization of Stieltjes moment sequences for which there exists a representing measure with support in $[\xi, \infty)$. The proof is elementary.

We show that very simple continued fractions can be obtained for the ordinary generating functions enumerating permutations or D-permutations with a large number of independent statistics, when each cycle is given a weight $-1$. The proof…

We introduce a triangular array $\widehat{\sf L}^{(\alpha)}$ of 5-variable homogeneous polynomials that enumerate Laguerre digraphs (digraphs in which each vertex has out-degree 0 or 1 and in-degree 0 or 1) with separate weights for peaks,…

We prove the coefficientwise Hankel-total positivity of the even and odd subsequences of Schett polynomials $X_n(x,y,z)$.

I present and discuss an extremely simple algorithm for expanding a formal power series as a continued fraction. This algorithm, which goes back to Euler (1746) and Viscovatov (1805), deserves to be better known. I also discuss the…

We consider the lower-triangular matrix of generating polynomials that enumerate $k$-component forests of rooted trees on the vertex set $[n]$ according to the number of improper edges (generalizations of the Ramanujan polynomials). We show…

A D-permutation is a permutation of $[2n]$ satisfying $2k-1 \le \sigma(2k-1)$ and $2k \ge \sigma(2k)$ for all $k$; they provide a combinatorial model for the Genocchi and median Genocchi numbers. We find Stieltjes-type and Thron-type…

We prove the ergodicity of the Wang--Swendsen--Koteck\'y (WSK) algorithm for the zero-temperature $q$-state Potts antiferromagnet on several classes of lattices on the torus. In particular, the WSK algorithm is ergodic for $q\ge 4$ on any…

We solve analytically the differential equations for a skier on a circular hill and for a particle on a loop-the-loop track when the hill or track is endowed with a coefficient of kinetic friction $\mu$. For each problem, we determine the…

I show that a hypergeometric function ${}_{p}F_q(a_1,\ldots,a_p;b_1,\ldots,b_q;\,\cdot\,)$ with $p \le q$ belongs to the Laguerre--P\'olya class $LP^+$ for arbitrarily large $b_{p+1},\ldots,b_q > 0$ if and only if, after a possible…

I give a short and completely elementary proof of Takagi's 1921 theorem on the zeros of a composite polynomial $f(d/dz) \, g(z)$.

I give a combinatorial interpretation of the multiple Laguerre polynomials of the first kind of type II, generalizing the digraph model found by Foata and Strehl for the ordinary Laguerre polynomials. I also give an explicit integral…

We find Stieltjes-type and Jacobi-type continued fractions for some "master polynomials" that enumerate permutations, set partitions or perfect matchings with a large (sometimes infinite) number of simultaneous statistics. Our results…

We exhibit a lower-triangular matrix of polynomials $T(a,c,d,e,f,g)$ in six indeterminates that appears empirically to be coefficientwise totally positive, and which includes as a special case the Eulerian triangle. We prove the…