Colin Defant

We present several short proofs that resolve open problems from the algebraic and enumerative combinatorics literature. First, we consider the echelonmotion operator on modular lattices. We resolve a conjecture of Defant, Jiang, Marczinzik,…

Let $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$ be the MacNeille completion of the Bruhat order of a Coxeter group $W$. We introduce an action of the $0$-Hecke monoid of type $W$ on $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$, which allows us to define a weak order and a descent set…

It is a classical fact that every $n$-element set of positive reals has at least $\binom{n+1}{2}+1$ distinct subset sums, with equality exactly for homogeneous arithmetic progressions (when $n\geq 4$). We establish stability versions of…

Inspired by recent work on refraction billiards in dynamics, we introduce a notion of refraction for combinatorial billiards. This allows us to define a generalization of toric promotion that we call toric promotion with reflections and…

Let $\mathbb{K}$ be a field of characteristic $0$. For each choice of distinct $a_1, \ldots, a_n\in \mathbb{K}$ and distinct $b_1, \ldots, b_n\in \mathbb{K}$, consider the sum $S=\sum_{i=1}^n a_i b_{\pi(i)}$ as $\pi$ ranges over the…

We introduce Minary, a computational framework designed as a candidate for the first formally provable autopoietic primitive. Minary represents interacting probabilistic events as multi-dimensional vectors and combines them via linear…

For each finite Coxeter group $W$ and each standard Coxeter element of $W$, we construct a triangulation of the $W$-permutahedron. For particular realizations of the $W$-permutahedron, we show that this is a regular triangulation induced by…

The weak order is a classical poset structure on a Coxeter group; it is a lattice when the group is finite but merely a meet-semilattice when the group is infinite. Motivated by problems in Kazhdan--Lusztig theory, Matthew Dyer introduced…

Defant, Li, Propp, and Young recently resolved two enumerative conjectures of Propp concerning the tilings of regions in the hexagonal grid called benzels using two types of prototiles called stones and bones (with varying constraints on…

We introduce the Ungarian Markov chain ${\bf U}_L$ associated to a finite lattice $L$. The states of this Markov chain are the elements of $L$. When the chain is in a state $x\in L$, it transitions to the meet of $\{x\}\cup T$, where $T$ is…

Rowmotion is a certain well-studied bijective operator on the distributive lattice $J(P)$ of order ideals of a finite poset $P$. We introduce the rowmotion Markov chain ${\bf M}_{J(P)}$ by assigning a probability $p_x$ to each $x\in P$ and…

Propp recently introduced regions in the hexagonal grid called benzels and stated several enumerative conjectures about the tilings of benzels using two types of prototiles called stones and bones. We resolve two of his conjectures and…

Given a linear extension $\sigma$ of a finite poset $R$, we consider the permutation matrix indexing the Schubert cell containing the Cartan matrix of $R$ with respect to $\sigma$. This yields a bijection $\mathrm{Ech}_\sigma\colon R\to R$…

For each permutation $w$, we consider the set $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ of reduced pipe dreams for $w$, partially ordered so that cover relations correspond to (generalized) chute moves. Settling a conjecture of Rubey from 2012, we prove that…

We construct and analyze several new families of permutons arising from random processes involving the Demazure product on the symmetric group. First, we consider Demazure products associated to random pipe dreams, generalizing the…

Let $(W,S)$ be a Coxeter system, and write $S=\{s_i:i\in I\}$, where $I$ is a finite index set. Fix a nonempty convex subset $\mathscr{L}$ of $W$. If $W$ is of type $A$, then $\mathscr{L}$ is the set of linear extensions of a poset, and…

We study Lam's reduced random walk in a hyperbolic triangle group, which we view as a random walk in the upper half-plane. We prove that this walk converges almost surely to a point on the extended real line. We devote special attention to…

Given a graph $G$ with vertex set $\{1,\ldots,n\}$, we can project the graphical arrangement of $G$ to an $(n-1)$-dimensional torus to obtain a toric hyperplane arrangement. Adams, Defant, and Striker constructed a toric combinatorial…

Given a fixed integer $n\geq 2$, we construct two new finite lattices that we call the cyclic Tamari lattice and the affine Tamari lattice. The cyclic Tamari lattice is a sublattice and a quotient lattice of the cyclic Dyer lattice, which…

Let $W$ be an irreducible affine Weyl group, and let $\mathsf{b}$ be a finite word over the alphabet of simple reflections of $W$. Fix a probability $p\in(0,1)$. For each integer $K\geq 0$, let $\mathsf{sub}_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$ be the random…