A Bijection for the Alperin Weight Conjecture in <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>

The Alperin weight conjecture states that if G is a finite group and p is a prime, then the number of irreducible Brauer characters of a group G should be equal to the number of conjugacy classes of p-weights of G. This conjecture is known to be true for the symmetric group S _n , however there is no explicit bijection given between the two sets. In this paper we develop an explicit bijection between the p-weights of S _n and a certain set of partitions that is known to have the same cardinality as the irreducible Brauer characters of S _n . We also develop some properties of this bijection, especially in relation to a certain class of partitions whose corresponding Specht modules over fields of characteristic p are known to be irreducible.     

Successions in integer partitions

A partition of an integer n is a representation n=a ₁+a ₂+⋅⋅⋅+a _k , with integer parts 1≤a ₁≤a ₂≤…≤a _k . For any fixed positive integer p, a p-succession in a partition is defined to be a pair of adjacent parts such that a _i+1−a _i =p. We find generating functions for the number of partitions of n with no p-successions, as well as for the total number of such successions taken over all partitions of n. In the process, various interesting partition identities are derived. In addition, the Hardy-Ramanujan asymptotic formula for the number of partitions is used to obtain an asymptotic estimate for the average number of p-successions in the partitions of n. This material is based upon work supported by the National Research Foundation under grant number 2053740.     

Pattern avoiding partitions and Motzkin left factors

Let L _n , n ≥ 1, denote the sequence which counts the number of paths from the origin to the line x = n ? 1 using (1, 1), (1, ?1), and (1, 0) steps that never dip below the x-axis (called Motzkin left factors). The numbers L _n count, among other things, certain restricted subsets of permutations and Catalan paths. In this paper, we provide new combinatorial interpretations for these numbers in terms of finite set partitions. In particular, we identify four classes of the partitions of size n, all of which have cardinality L _n and each avoiding a set of two classical patterns of length four. We obtain a further generalization in one of the cases by considering a pair of statistics on the partition class. In a couple of cases, to show the result, we make use of the kernel method to solve a functional equation arising after a certain parameter has been introduced.     

Counting partitions on the abacus

In 2003, Maróti showed that one could use the machinery of ℓ-cores and ℓ-quotients of partitions to establish lower bounds for p(n), the number of partitions of n. In this paper we explore these ideas in the case ℓ=2, using them to give a largely combinatorial proof of an effective upper bound on p(n), and to prove asymptotic formulae for the number of self-conjugate partitions, and the number of partitions with distinct parts. In a further application we give a combinatorial proof of an identity originally due to Gauss. Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Manfred Schocker (1970–2006)     

Jagged Partitions

By jagged partitions we refer to an ordered collection of non-negative integers (n₁, n₂,..., n_m) with n_m≥ p for some positive integer p, further subject to some weakly decreasing conditions that prevent them for being genuine partitions. The case analyzed in greater detail here corresponds to p = 1 and the following conditions n_i≥ n_i+1−1 and n_i≥ n_i+2. A number of properties for the corresponding partition function are derived, including rather remarkable congruence relations. An interesting application of jagged partitions concerns the derivation of generating functions for enumerating partitions with special restrictions, a point that is illustrated with various examples. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary—05A15, 05A17, 05A19     

MacMahon's partition identity and the coin exchange problem

One of MacMahon's partition theorems says that the number of partitions of n into parts divisible by 2 or 3 equals the number of partitions of n into parts with multiplicity larger than 1. Recently, Holroyd has obtained a generalization. In this short note, we provide a bijective proof of his theorem.     

Equidistribution of Heegner points and the partition function

Let p(n) denote the number of partitions of a positive integer n. In this paper we study the asymptotic growth of p(n) using the equidistribution of Galois orbits of Heegner points on the modular curve X ₀(6). We obtain a new asymptotic formula for p(n) with an effective error term which is O(n^-(\frac12+d)){O(n^{-(\frac{1}{2}+\delta)})} for some δ > 0. We then use this asymptotic formula to sharpen the classical bounds of Hardy and Ramanujan, Rademacher, and Lehmer on the error term in Rademacher’s exact formula for p(n).     

Dissecting the Stanley partition function

Let p(n) denote the number of unrestricted partitions of n. For i=0, 2, let p_i(n) denote the number of partitions π of n such that . Here denotes the number of odd parts of the partition π and π^′ is the conjugate of π. Stanley [Amer. Math. Monthly 109 (2002) 760; Adv. Appl. Math., to appear] derived an infinite product representation for the generating function of p₀(n)-p₂(n). Recently, Swisher [The Andrews–Stanley partition function and p(n), preprint, submitted for publication] employed the circle method to show that

(i)

and that for sufficiently large n

(ii)

In this paper we study the even/odd dissection of the Stanley product, and show how to use it to prove (i) and (ii) with no restriction on n. Moreover, we establish the following new result:

Two proofs of this surprising inequality are given. The first one uses the Göllnitz–Gordon partition theorem. The second one is an immediate corollary of a new partition inequality, which we prove in a combinatorial manner. Our methods are elementary. We use only Jacobi's triple product identity and some naive upper bound estimates.     

A major index for matchings and set partitions

We introduce a statistic pmaj(P) for partitions of [n], and show that it is equidistributed with cr₂, the number of 2-crossings, over all partitions of [n] with given sets of minimal block elements and maximal block elements. This generalizes the classical result of equidistribution for the permutation statistics inv and maj.     

Polytopes of partitions of numbers

We study the vertices and facets of the polytopes of partitions of numbers. The partition polytope P_n is the convex hull of the set of incidence vectors of all partitions n=x₁+2x₂++nx_n. We show that the sequence P₁,P₂,…,P_n,… can be treated as an embedded chain. The dynamics of behavior of the vertices of P_n, as n increases, is established. Some sufficient and some necessary conditions for a point of P_n to be its vertex are proved. Representation of the partition polytope as a polytope on a partial algebra—which is a generalization of the group polyhedron in the group theoretic approach to the integer linear programming—allows us to prove subadditive characterization of the nontrivial facets of P_n. These facets correspond to extreme rays of the cone of subadditive functions with additional requirements p₀=p_n and p_i+p_n−i=p_n,1≤i<n. The trivial facets are explicitly indicated. We also show how all vertices and facets of the polytopes of constrained partitions—in which some numbers are forbidden to participate—can be obtained from those of the polytope P_n. All vertices and facets of P_n for n≤8 and n≤6, respectively, are presented.     

A continuous family of partition statistics equidistributed with length

This article investigates a remarkable generalization of the generating function that enumerates partitions by area and number of parts. This generating function is given by the infinite product _∏i?11/(1−tqi). We give uncountably many new combinatorial interpretations of this infinite product involving partition statistics that arose originally in the context of Hilbert schemes. We construct explicit bijections proving that all of these statistics are equidistributed with the length statistic on partitions of n. Our bijections employ various combinatorial constructions involving cylindrical lattice paths, Eulerian tours on directed multigraphs, and oriented trees.     

On the number of nonzero digits of the partition function

Let p(n) be the function that counts the number of partitions of n. Let b ≥ 2 be a fixed positive integer. In this paper, we show that for almost all n the sum of the digits of p(n) in base b is at least log n/(7log log n). Our proof uses the first term of Rademacher’s formula for p(n).     

Partitions of bi-partite numbers into at mostj parts

The number of partitions of a bi-partite number into at mostj parts is studied. We consider this function,p _j (x, y), on the linex+y=2n. Forj4, we show that this function is maximized whenx=y. Forj>4 we provide an explicit formula forn _j so that, for allnn _j ,x=y yields a maximum forp _j (x,y).     

The p-Regular Partition Function Modulo p

Let b_?(n) denote the number of ?-regular partitions of n, where ? is a positive power of a prime p. We study in this paper the behavior of b_?(n) modulo powers of p. In particular, we prove that for every positive integer j, b_?(n) lies in each residue class modulo p^j for infinitely many values of n.     

Gaussian partitions

Let V=V(n,q) denote the finite vector space of dimension n over the finite field with q elements. A subspace partition of V is a collection Π of subspaces of V such that each 1-dimensional subspace of V is in exactly one subspace of Π. In a recent paper, we proved some strong connections between the lattice of the subspace partitions of V and the lattice of the set partitions of n={1,…,n}. We now define a Gaussian partition of [n] _q =(q ⁿ −1)/(q−1) to be a nonincreasing sequence of positive integers formed by ordering all elements of some multiset {dim(W):W∈Π}, where Π is a subspace partition of V. The Gaussian partition function gp(n,q) is then the number of all Gaussian partitions of [n] _q , and is naturally analogous to the classical partition function p(n). In this paper, we initiate the study of gp(n,q) by exhibiting all Gaussian partitions for small n. In particular, we determine gp(n,q) as a polynomial in q for n≤5, and find a lower bound for gp(6,q).     

The Rademacher conjecture and <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-partial fractions

In his classic book, Topics in Analytic Number Theory, H. Rademacher posed a natural conjecture concerning the generating function for p(n), the number of partitions of n. In this paper we undertake a systematic study of an expansion technique that has its genesis in the work of Cayley. We apply this to the Rademacher conjecture, and obtain the first positive result providing theoretical evidence for the conjecture.      

Exchangeable and partially exchangeable random partitions

Summary Call a random partition of the positive integerspartially exchangeable if for each finite sequence of positive integersn ₁,...,n _k, the probability that the partition breaks the firstn ₁+...+n_k integers intok particular classes, of sizesn ₁,...,n_k in order of their first elements, has the same valuep(n ₁,...,n_k) for every possible choice of classes subject to the sizes constraint. A random partition is exchangeable iff it is partially exchangeable for a symmetric functionp(n ₁,...n_k). A representation is given for partially exchangeable random partitions which provides a useful variation of Kingman's representation in the exchangeable case. Results are illustrated by the two-parameter generalization of Ewens' partition structure.Research supported by N.S.F. Grants MCS91-07531 and DMS-9404345     

Bargraph statistics on words and set partitions

In this paper, we consider statistics on partitions of an n-element set represented as a subset of the bargraphs that have n horizontal steps. More precisely, we find the joint distribution of the area and up step statistics on the latter subset of bargraphs, thereby obtaining new refined counts on partitions having a fixed number of blocks. Furthermore, we give explicit formulas in terms of the Stirling numbers for the total area and number of up steps in bargraphs corresponding to partitions, providing both algebraic and combinatorial proofs. Finally, we find asymptotic estimates for the average and total values of these statistics and as a consequence obtain some new identities for the Stirling and Bell numbers.     

Partitions of bipartite numbers

Letp _j(m, n) be the number of partitions of (m, n) into at mostj parts. We prove Landman et al.'s conjecture: for allj andn, p _j(x, 2n–x) is a maximum whenx-n. More generally we prove that for all positive integersm, n andj, p _j(n, m)=p_j(m, n)p_j(m–1, n+1) ifmn.     

Gray code enumeration of families of integer partitions

In this paper we show that the elements of certain families of integer partitions can be listed in a minimal change, or Gray code, order. In particular, we construct Gray code listings for the classes P_δ(n, k) and D(n, k) of partitions of n into parts of size at most k in which, for P_δ(n, k), the parts are congruent to one modulo δ and, for D(n, k), the parts are distinct. It is shown that the elements of these classes can be listed so that the only change between successive partitions is the increase of one part by δ (or the addition of δ ones) and the decrease of one part by δ (or the removal of δ ones), where, in the case of D(n, k), δ = 1.