Showing papers on "Symmetric group published in 2019"

On the Universality of Invariant Networks

Abstract: Constraining linear layers in neural networks to respect symmetry transformations from a group $G$ is a common design principle for invariant networks that has found many applications in machine learning. In this paper, we consider a fundamental question that has received little attention to date: Can these networks approximate any (continuous) invariant function? We tackle the rather general case where $G\leq S_n$ (an arbitrary subgroup of the symmetric group) that acts on $\mathbb{R}^n$ by permuting coordinates. This setting includes several recent popular invariant networks. We present two main results: First, $G$-invariant networks are universal if high-order tensors are allowed. Second, there are groups $G$ for which higher-order tensors are unavoidable for obtaining universality. $G$-invariant networks consisting of only first-order tensors are of special interest due to their practical value. We conclude the paper by proving a necessary condition for the universality of $G$-invariant networks that incorporate only first-order tensors.

On the Universality of Invariant Networks

Abstract: Constraining linear layers in neural networks to respect symmetry transformations from a group $G$ is a common design principle for invariant networks that has found many applications in machine learning. In this paper, we consider a fundamental question that has received little attention to date: Can these networks approximate any (continuous) invariant function? We tackle the rather general case where $G\leq S_n$ (an arbitrary subgroup of the symmetric group) that acts on $\mathbb{R}^n$ by permuting coordinates. This setting includes several recent popular invariant networks. We present two main results: First, $G$-invariant networks are universal if high-order tensors are allowed. Second, there are groups $G$ for which higher-order tensors are unavoidable for obtaining universality. $G$-invariant networks consisting of only first-order tensors are of special interest due to their practical value. We conclude the paper by proving a necessary condition for the universality of $G$-invariant networks that incorporate only first-order tensors.

Quantum isomorphism is equivalent to equality of homomorphism counts from planar graphs

Abstract: Over 50 years ago, Lovasz proved that two graphs are isomorphic if and only if they admit the same number of homomorphisms from any graph [Acta Math. Hungar. 18 (1967), pp. 321--328]. In this work we prove that two graphs are quantum isomorphic (in the commuting operator framework) if and only if they admit the same number of homomorphisms from any planar graph. As there exist pairs of non-isomorphic graphs that are quantum isomorphic, this implies that homomorphism counts from planar graphs do not determine a graph up to isomorphism. Another immediate consequence is that determining whether there exists some planar graph that has a different number of homomorphisms to two given graphs is an undecidable problem, since quantum isomorphism is known to be undecidable. Our characterization of quantum isomorphism is proven via a combinatorial characterization of the intertwiner spaces of the quantum automorphism group of a graph based on counting homomorphisms from planar graphs. This result inspires the definition of "graph categories" which are analogous to, and a generalization of, partition categories that are the basis of the definition of easy quantum groups. Thus we introduce a new class of "graph-theoretic quantum groups" whose intertwiner spaces are spanned by maps associated to (bi-labeled) graphs. Finally, we use our result on quantum isomorphism to prove an interesting reformulation of the Four Color Theorem: that any planar graph is 4-colorable if and only if it has a homomorphism to a specific Cayley graph on the symmetric group $S_4$ which contains a complete subgraph on four vertices but is not 4-colorable.

Schur P-positivity and involution Stanley symmetric functions

Abstract: The involution Stanley symmetric functions $\hat{F}_y$ are the stable limits of the analogues of Schubert polynomials for the orbits of the orthogonal group in the flag variety. These symmetric functions are also generating functions for involution words, and are indexed by the involutions in the symmetric group. By construction each $\hat{F}_y$ is a sum of Stanley symmetric functions and therefore Schur positive. We prove the stronger fact that these power series are Schur $P$-positive. We give an algorithm to efficiently compute the decomposition of $\hat{F}_y$ into Schur $P$-summands, and prove that this decomposition is triangular with respect to the dominance order on partitions. As an application, we derive pattern avoidance conditions which characterize the involution Stanley symmetric functions which are equal to Schur $P$-functions. We deduce as a corollary that the involution Stanley symmetric function of the reverse permutation is a Schur $P$-function indexed by a shifted staircase shape. These results lead to alternate proofs of theorems of Ardila-Serrano and DeWitt on skew Schur functions which are Schur $P$-functions. We also prove new Pfaffian formulas for certain related involution Schubert polynomials.

Galois theory for general systems of polynomial equations

Abstract: We prove that the monodromy group of a reduced irreducible square system of general polynomial equations equals the symmetric group. This is a natural first step towards the Galois theory of general systems of polynomial equations, because arbitrary systems split into reduced irreducible ones upon monomial changes of variables. In particular, our result proves the multivariate version of the Abel–Ruffini theorem: the classification of general systems of equations solvable by radicals reduces to the classification of lattice polytopes of mixed volume 4 (which we prove to be finite in every dimension). We also notice that the monodromy of every general system of equations is either symmetric or imprimitive. The proof is based on a new result of independent importance regarding dual defectiveness of systems of equations: the discriminant of a reduced irreducible square system of general polynomial equations is a hypersurface unless the system is linear up to a monomial change of variables.

Groups of Homeomorphisms of One-Manifolds, I: Actions of Nonlinear Groups

Abstract: This self-contained paper is part of a series \cite{FF2,FF3} on actions by diffeomorphisms of infinite groups on compact manifolds. The two main results presented here are: 1) Any homomorphism of (almost any) mapping class group or automorphism group of a free group into $\Diff_+^r(S^1), r\geq 2$ is trivial. For r=0 Nielsen showed that in many cases nontrivial (even faithful) representations exist. Somewhat weaker results are proven for finite index subgroups. 2) We construct a finitely-presented group of real-analytic diffeomorphisms of $\R$ which is not residually finite.

Characteristics of the Number of Conjugacy Classes and P-Regular Classes in Finite Symmetric Groups

Abstract: In this work, the number of p – regular classes Nprc(Sn) in symmetric group Sn is always less than or equal to the number of conjugacy classes Nc(Sn) in Sn is shown. Furthermore, the relation between p and n that is satisfying the equality are investigated.

Structural aspects of twin and pure twin groups

Abstract: The twin group $$T_n$$ is a Coxeter group generated by $$n-1$$ involutions and the pure twin group $$PT_n$$ is the kernel of the natural surjection of $$T_n$$ onto the symmetric group on n letters. In this paper, we investigate structural aspects of twin and pure twin groups. We prove that the twin group $$T_n$$ decomposes into a free product with amalgamation for $$n>4$$ . It is shown that the pure twin group $$PT_n$$ is free for $$n=3,4$$ , and not free for $$n\ge 6$$ . We determine a generating set for $$PT_n$$ , and give an upper bound for its rank. We also construct a natural faithful representation of $$T_4$$ into $$\text {Aut}(F_7)$$ . In the end, we propose virtual and welded analogues of these groups and some directions for future work.

The Jordan-H\"older property and Grothendieck monoids of exact categories

Abstract: We investigate the Jordan-Holder property (JHP) in exact categories. First, we show that (JHP) holds in an exact category if and only if the Grothendieck monoid introduced by Berenstein and Greenstein is free. Moreover, we give a criterion for this which only uses the Grothendieck group and the number of simple objects. Next, we apply these results to the representation theory of artin algebras. For a large class of exact categories including functorially finite torsion(-free) classes, (JHP) holds precisely when the number of indecomposable projectives is equal to that of simples. We study torsion-free classes in a quiver of type A in detail using the combinatorics of symmetric groups. We introduce Bruhat inversions of permutations and show that simples in a torsion-free class are in bijection with Bruhat inversions of the corresponding $c$-sortable element. We use this to give a combinatorial criterion for (JHP).

The weak order on integer posets

Abstract: We explore lattice structures on integer binary relations (i.e. binary relations on the set $\{1, 2, \dots, n\}$ for a fixed integer $n$) and on integer posets (i.e. partial orders on the set $\{1, 2, \dots, n\}$ for a fixed integer $n$). We first observe that the weak order on the symmetric group naturally extends to a lattice structure on all integer binary relations. We then show that the subposet of this weak order induced by integer posets defines as well a lattice. We finally study the subposets of this weak order induced by specific families of integer posets corresponding to the elements, the intervals, and the faces of the permutahedron, the associahedron, and some recent generalizations of those.

The Transition Matrix Between the Specht and Web Bases is Unipotent with Additional Vanishing Entries

Abstract: We compare two important bases of an irreducible representation of the symmetric group: the web basis and the Specht basis. The web basis has its roots in the Temperley-Lieb algebra and knot-theoretic considerations. The Specht basis is a classic algebraic and combinatorial construction of symmetric group representations which arises in this context through the geometry of varieties called Springer fibers. We describe a graph that encapsulates combinatorial relations between each of these bases, prove that there is a unique way (up to scaling) to map the Specht basis into the web representation, and use this to recover a result of Garsia-McLarnan that the transition matrix between the Specht and web bases is upper-triangular with ones along the diagonal. We then strengthen their result to prove vanishing of certain additional entries unless a nesting condition on webs is satisfied. In fact we conjecture that the entries of the transition matrix are nonnegative and are nonzero precisely when certain directed paths exist in the web graph.

A survey of recent developments on Hessenberg varieties

Abstract: This article surveys recent developments on Hessenberg varieties, emphasizing some of the rich connections of their cohomology and combinatorics. In particular, we will see how hyperplane arrangements, representations of symmetric groups, and Stanley's chromatic symmetric functions are related to the cohomology rings of Hessenberg varieties. We also include several other topics on Hessenberg varieties to cover recent developments.

Combinatorial generation via permutation languages. II. Lattice congruences

Abstract: This paper deals with lattice congruences of the weak order on the symmetric group, and initiates the investigation of the cover graphs of the corresponding lattice quotients. These graphs also arise as the skeleta of the so-called quotientopes, a family of polytopes recently introduced by Pilaud and Santos [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc., 51:406-420, 2019], which generalize permutahedra, associahedra, hypercubes and several other polytopes. We prove that all of these graphs have a Hamilton path, which can be computed by a simple greedy algorithm. This is an application of our framework for exhaustively generating various classes of combinatorial objects by encoding them as permutations. We also characterize which of these graphs are vertex-transitive or regular via their arc diagrams, give corresponding precise and asymptotic counting results, and we determine their minimum and maximum degrees. Moreover, we investigate the relation between lattice congruences of the weak order and pattern-avoiding permutations.

Central limit theorem for peaks of a random permutation in a fixed conjugacy class of $S_n$

Abstract: The number of peaks of a random permutation is known to be asymptotically normal. We give a new proof of this and prove a central limit theorem for the distribution of peaks in a fixed conjugacy class of the symmetric group. Our technique is to apply ``analytic combinatorics'' to study a complicated but exact generating function for peaks in a given conjugacy class.

Generalized Foulkes modules and maximal and minimal constituents of plethysms of Schur functions

Abstract: This paper proves a combinatorial rule giving all maximal and minimal partitions $\lambda$ such that the Schur function $s_\lambda$ appears in a plethysm of two arbitrary Schur functions. Determining the decomposition of these plethysms has been identified by Stanley as a key open problem in algebraic combinatorics. As corollaries we prove three conjectures of Agaoka on the partitions labeling the lexicographically greatest and least Schur functions appearing in an arbitrary plethysm. We also show that the multiplicity of the Schur function labelled by the lexicographically least constituent may be arbitrarily large. The proof is carried out in the symmetric group and gives an explicit non-zero homomorphism corresponding to each maximal or minimal partition.

Odoni's conjecture for number fields

Abstract: Let $K$ be a number field, and let $d\geq 2$. A conjecture of Odoni (stated more generally for characteristic zero Hilbertian fields $K$) posits that there is a monic polynomial $f\in K[x]$ of degree $d$, and a point $x_0\in K$, such that for every $n\geq 0$, the so-called arboreal Galois group $Gal(K(f^{-n}(x_0))/K)$ is an $n$-fold wreath product of the symmetric group $S_d$. In this paper, we prove Odoni's conjecture when $d$ is even and $K$ is an arbitrary number field, and also when both $d$ and $[K:Q]$ are odd.

Equivariant Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials of thagomizer matroids

Abstract: The equivariant Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomial of a matroid was introduced by Gedeon, Proudfoot, and Young. Gedeon conjectured an explicit formula for the equivariant Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials of thagomizer matroids with an action of symmetric groups. In this paper, we discover a new formula for these polynomials which is related to the equivariant Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials of uniform matroids. Based on our new formula, we confirm Gedeon's conjecture by the Pieri rule.

Boolean product polynomials, Schur positivity, and Chern plethysm.

Abstract: Let $1\leq k \leq n$ and let $X_n = (x_1, \dots, x_n)$ be a list of $n$ variables. The {\em Boolean product polynomial} $B_{n,k}(X_n)$ is the product of the linear forms $\sum_{i \in S} x_i$ where $S$ ranges over all $k$-element subsets of $\{1, 2, \dots, n\}$. 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 $B_{n,k}(X_n)$ for certain $k$ to other combinatorial objects including derangements, positroids, alternating sign matrices, and reverse flagged fillings of a partition shape. We also relate $B_{n,n-1}(X_n)$ to a bigraded action of the symmetric group $\mathfrak{S}_n$ on a divergence free quotient of superspace.

Families of nested graphs with compatible symmetric-group actions

Abstract: For fixed positive integers n and k, the Kneser graph $$KG_{n,k}$$ has vertices labeled by k-element subsets of $$\{1,2,\dots ,n\}$$ and edges between disjoint sets. Keeping k fixed and allowing n to grow, one obtains a family of nested graphs, each of which is acted on by a symmetric group in a way which is compatible with these inclusions and the inclusions of each symmetric group into the next. In this paper, we provide a framework for studying families of this kind using the $${{\,\mathrm{FI}\,}}$$-module theory of Church et al. (Duke Math J 164(9):1833–1910, 2015), and show that this theory has a variety of asymptotic consequences for such families of graphs. These consequences span a range of topics including enumeration, concerning counting occurrences of subgraphs, topology, concerning Hom-complexes and configuration spaces of the graphs, and algebra, concerning the changing behaviors in the graph spectra.