English

On the evolution of random integer compositions

Combinatorics 2024-12-20 v2

Abstract

We explore how the asymptotic structure of a random nn-term weak integer composition of mm evolves, as mm increases from zero. The primary focus is on establishing thresholds for the appearance and disappearance of substructures. These include the longest and shortest runs of zero terms or of nonzero terms, longest increasing runs, longest runs of equal terms, largest squares (runs of kk terms each equal to kk), as well as a wide variety of other patterns. Of particular note is the dichotomy between the appearance and disappearance of exact consecutive patterns, with smaller patterns appearing before larger ones, whereas longer patterns disappear before shorter ones.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2309.06287,
  title  = {On the evolution of random integer compositions},
  author = {David Bevan and Dan Threlfall},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.06287},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

39 pages; to appear in the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics

R2 v1 2026-06-28T12:19:18.732Z