From Bruhat intervals to intersection lattices and a conjecture of Postnikov

We prove the conjecture of A. Postnikov that (A) the number of regions in the inversion hyperplane arrangement associated with a permutation w∈Sn is at most the number of elements below w in the Bruhat order, and (B) that equality holds if and only if w avoids the patterns 4231, 35142, 42513 and 351624. Furthermore, assertion (A) is extended to all finite reflection groups.A byproduct of this result and its proof is a set of inequalities relating Betti numbers of complexified inversion arrangements to Betti numbers of closed Schubert cells. Another consequence is a simple combinatorial interpretation of the chromatic polynomial of the inversion graph of a permutation which avoids the above patterns.     

Semigroups embeddable in hyperplane face monoids

The left regular band structure on a hyperplane arrangement and its representation theory provide an important connection between semigroup theory and algebraic combinatorics. A finite semigroup embeds in a real hyperplane face monoid if and only if it is in the quasivariety generated by the monoid obtained by adjoining an identity to the two-element left zero semigroup. We prove that this quasivariety is on the one hand polynomial time decidable, and on the other minimally non-finitely based. A similar result is obtained for the semigroups embeddable in complex hyperplane semigroups.     

The Virtual Poincaré Polynomials of Homogeneous Spaces

We factor the virtual Poincaré polynomial of every homogeneous space G/H, where G is a complex connected linear algebraic group and H is an algebraic subgroup, as t^2u (t²–1)^r Q_G/H(t²) for a polynomial Q_G/H with nonnegative integer coefficients. Moreover, we show that Q_G/H(t²) divides the virtual Poincaré polynomial of every regular embedding of G/H, if H is connected.     

Skew Schubert polynomials

We define skew Schubert polynomials to be normal form (polynomial) representatives of certain classes in the cohomology of a flag manifold. We show that this definition extends a recent construction of Schubert polynomials due to Bergeron and Sottile in terms of certain increasing labeled chains in Bruhat order of the symmetric group. These skew Schubert polynomials expand in the basis of Schubert polynomials with nonnegative integer coefficients that are precisely the structure constants of the cohomology of the complex flag variety with respect to its basis of Schubert classes. We rederive the construction of Bergeron and Sottile in a purely combinatorial way, relating it to the construction of Schubert polynomials in terms of rc-graphs.

     

Hamiltonian nilpotent centers of linear plus cubic homogeneous polynomial vector fields

We provide normal forms and the global phase portraits in the Poincaré disk for all Hamiltonian nilpotent centers of linear plus cubic homogeneous planar polynomial vector fields.     

Asymptotic cohomological functions of toric divisors

We study functions on the class group of a toric variety measuring the rates of growth of the cohomology groups of multiples of divisors. We show that these functions are piecewise polynomial with respect to finite polyhedral chamber decompositions. As applications, we express the self-intersection number of a T-Cartier divisor as a linear combination of the volumes of the bounded regions in the corresponding hyperplane arrangement and prove an asymptotic converse to Serre vanishing.     

Hamiltonian linear type centers of linear plus cubic homogeneous polynomial vector fields

We provide normal forms and the global phase portraits in the Poincaré disk for all the Hamiltonian linear type centers of linear plus cubic homogeneous planar polynomial vector fields.     

Kazhdan-Lusztig Polynomials for 321-Hexagon-Avoiding Permutations

In (Deodhar, Geom. Dedicata, 36(1) (1990), 95–119), Deodhar proposes a combinatorial framework for determining the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials P _x , _w in the case where W is any Coxeter group. We explicitly describe the combinatorics in the case where (the symmetric group on n letters) and the permutation w is 321-hexagon-avoiding. Our formula can be expressed in terms of a simple statistic on all subexpressions of any fixed reduced expression for w. As a consequence of our results on Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials, we show that the Poincaré polynomial of the intersection cohomology of the Schubert variety corresponding to w is (1+q) ^l(w) if and only if w is 321-hexagon-avoiding. We also give a sufficient condition for the Schubert variety X _w to have a small resolution. We conclude with a simple method for completely determining the singular locus of X _w when w is 321-hexagon-avoiding. The results extend easily to those Weyl groups whose Coxeter graphs have no branch points (B C _n , F ₄, G ₂).     

Poincaré polynomials and level rank dualities in the N=2 coset construction

We review the coset construction of conformal field theories; the emphasis is on the Hilbert spaces for these models, especially if fixed points occur. This is applied to theN=2 superconformal cosets constructed by Kazama and Suzuki. To calculate heterotic string spectra we reformulate the Gepner construction in terms of simple currents and introduce the so-called extended Poincaré polynomial. We finally comment on the various equivalences arising between models of this class, which can be expressed as level rank dualities.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 98. No. 3, pp. 467–478, March, 1994.     

Is an Orlicz–Poincaré inequality an open ended condition,and what does that mean?

In [16], Keith and Zhong prove that spaces admitting Poincaré inequalities also admit a priori stronger Poincaré inequalities. We use their technique, with slight adjustments, to obtain a similar result in the case of Orlicz–Poincaré inequalities. We give examples in the plane that show all hypotheses are required.     

The active bijection in graphs, hyperplane arrangements, and oriented matroids, 1: The fully optimal basis of a bounded region

The present paper is the first in a series of four dealing with a mapping, introduced by the present authors, from orientations to spanning trees in graphs, from regions to simplices in real hyperplane arrangements, from reorientations to bases in oriented matroids (in order of increasing generality). This mapping is actually defined for ordered oriented matroids. We call it the active orientation-to-basis mapping, in reference to an extensive use of activities, a notion depending on a linear ordering, first introduced by W.T. Tutte for spanning trees in graphs. The active mapping, which preserves activities, can be considered as a bijective generalization of a polynomial identity relating two expressions–one in terms of activities of reorientations, and the other in terms of activities of bases–of the Tutte polynomial of a graph, a hyperplane arrangement or an oriented matroid. Specializations include bijective versions of well-known enumerative results related to the counting of acyclic orientations in graphs or of regions in hyperplane arrangements. Other interesting features of the active mapping are links established between linear programming and the Tutte polynomial.We consider here the bounded case of the active mapping, where bounded corresponds to bipolar orientations in the case of graphs, and refers to bounded regions in the case of real hyperplane arrangements, or of oriented matroids. In terms of activities, this is the uniactive internal case. We introduce fully optimal bases, simply defined in terms of signs, strengthening optimal bases of linear programming. An optimal basis is associated with one flat with a maximality property, whereas a fully optimal basis is equivalent to a complete flag of flats, each with a maximality property. The main results of the paper are that a bounded region has a unique fully optimal basis, and that, up to negating all signs, fully optimal bases provide a bijection between bounded regions and uniactive internal bases. In the bounded case, up to negating all signs, the active mapping is a bijection.     

On the multiplicity of solutions of a nonlinear elliptic problem on Riemannian manifolds

We show that the number of solutions of a nonlinear elliptic problem on a Riemannian manifold depends on the topological properties of the manifold. In particular we consider the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and the Poincaré polynomial of the manifold.     

Smooth and palindromic Schubert varieties in affine Grassmannians

We completely determine the smooth and palindromic Schubert varieties in affine Grassmannians, in all Lie types. We show that an affine Schubert variety is smooth if and only if it is a closed parabolic orbit. In particular, there are only finitely many smooth affine Schubert varieties in a given Lie type. An affine Schubert variety is palindromic if and only if it is a closed parabolic orbit, a chain, one of an infinite family of “spiral” varieties in type A, or a certain 9-dimensional singular variety in type B ₃. In particular, except in type A there are only finitely many palindromic affine Schubert varieties in a fixed Lie type. Moreover, in types D and E an affine Schubert variety is smooth if and only if it is palindromic; in all other types there are singular palindromics. The proofs are for the most part combinatorial. The main tool is a variant of Mozes’ numbers game, which we use to analyze the Bruhat order on the coroot lattice. In the proof of the smoothness theorem we also use Chevalley’s cup product formula.     

Projection Volumes of Hyperplane Arrangements

We prove that for any finite real hyperplane arrangement the average projection volumes of the maximal cones are given by the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the arrangement. This settles the conjecture of Drton and Klivans that this held for all finite real reflection arrangements. The methods used are geometric and combinatorial. As a consequence, we determine that the angle sums of a zonotope are given by the characteristic polynomial of the order dual of the intersection lattice of the arrangement.     

Fully Optimal Bases and the Active Bijection in Graphs,Hyperplane Arrangements,and Oriented Matroids

In this note, we present the main results of a series of forthcoming papers, dealing with bi-jective generalizations of some counting formulas. New intrinsic constructions in oriented matroids on a linearly ordered set of elements establish notably structural links between counting regions and linear programming. We introduce fully optimal bases, which have a simple combinatorial characterization, and strengthen the well-known optimal bases of linear programming. Our main result is that every bounded region of an ordered hyperplane arrangement, or ordered oriented matroid, has a unique fully optimal basis, providing the active bijection between bounded regions and uniactive internal bases. The active bijec-tion is extended to an activity preserving mapping between all reorientations and all bases of an ordered oriented matroid. It gives a bijective interpretation of the equality of two expressions for the Tutte polynomial, as well as a new expression of this polynomial in terms of beta invariants of minors. There are several refinements, such as an activity preserving bijection between regions (acyclic reorientations) and no-broken-circuit subsets, and others in terms of hyperplane arrangements, graphs, and permutations.     

Local Poincaré inequalities in non-negative curvature and finite dimension

In this paper, we derive a new set of Poincaré inequalities on the sphere, with respect to some Markov kernels parameterized by a point in the ball. When this point goes to the boundary, those Poincaré inequalities are shown to give the curvature-dimension inequality of the sphere, and when it is at the center they reduce to the usual Poincaré inequality. We then extend them to Riemannian manifolds, giving a sequence of inequalities which are equivalent to the curvature-dimension inequality, and interpolate between this inequality and the Poincaré inequality for the invariant measure. This inequality is optimal in the case of the spheres.     

The loop orbifold of the symmetric product

Using the loop orbifold of the symmetric product, we give a formula for the Poincaré polynomial of the free loop space of the Borel construction of the symmetric product. We also show that the Chas-Sullivan orbifold product structure in the homology of the free loop space of the Borel construction of the symmetric product induces a ring structure in the homology of the inertia orbifold of the symmetric product. For a general almost complex orbifold, we define a new ring structure on the cohomology of its inertia orbifold which we call the virtual intersection ring. Finally we show that under Poincaré duality in the case of the symmetric product orbifold, both ring structures are isomorphic.     

Structural stability of piecewise-linear vector fields

Stability and genericity properties established for polynomial vector fields in the plane, extended to the Poincaré sphere, are proved for a class of piecewise-linear vector fields.     

An Analog of the Poincarée Separation Theorem for Normal Matrices and the Gauss–Lucas Theorem

We establish an analog of the Cauchy–Poincarée separation theorem for normal matrices in terms of majorization. A solution to the inverse spectral problem (Borg type result) is also presented. Using this result, we generalize and extend the Gauss–Lucas theorem about the location of roots of a complex polynomial and of its derivative. The generalization is applied to prove old conjectures due to de Bruijn–Springer and Schoenberg.     

Phase portraits of quadratic polynomial vector fields having a rational first integral of degree 2

We classify all the global phase portraits of the quadratic polynomial vector fields having a rational first integral of degree 2. In other words we characterize all the global phase portraits of the quadratic polynomial vector fields having all their orbits contained in conics. For such a vector field there are exactly 25 different global phase portraits in the Poincaré disc, up to a reversal of sense.