Combinatorics (math.CO)

Abstract: In this paper, we study tilings of $\mathbb Z$, that is, coverings of $\mathbb Z$ by disjoint sets (tiles). Let $T=\{d_1,\ldots, d_s\}$ be a given multiset of distances. Is it always possible to tile $\mathbb Z$ by tiles, for which the multiset of distances between consecutive points is equal to $T$? In this paper, we give a sufficient condition that such a tiling exists. Our result allows multisets of distances to have arbitrarily many distinct values. Our result generalizes most of the previously known results, all of which dealt with the cases of $2$ or $3$ distinct distances.

Abstract: Given a family $S$ of $k$--subsets of $[n]$, its lower shadow $\Delta(S)$ is the family of $(k-1)$--subsets which are contained in at least one set in $S$. The celebrated Kruskal--Katona theorem gives the minimum cardinality of $\Delta(S)$ in terms of the cardinality of $S$. F\"uredi and Griggs (and M\"ors) showed that the extremal families for this shadow minimization problem in the Boolean lattice are unique for some cardinalities and asked for a general characterization of these extremal families. In this paper we prove a new combinatorial inequality from which yet another simple proof of the Kruskal--Katona theorem can be derived. The inequality can be used to obtain a characterization of the extremal families for this minimization problem, giving an answer to the question of F\"uredi and Griggs. Some known and new additional properties of extremal families can also be easily derived from the inequality.

Abstract: The $G^{+}$ method is a new method, a powerful one, for the study of (homogeneous and nonhomogeneous) products of nonnegative matrices -- for problems on the products of nonnegative matrices. To study such products, new classes of matrices are introduced: that of the sum-positive matrices, that of the $\left[ \Delta \right] $-positive matrices on partitions (of the column index sets), that of the $g_{k}^{+}$-matrices... On the other hand, the $g_{k}^{+}$-matrices lead to necessary and sufficient conditions for the $k$-connected graphs. Using the $G^{+}$ method, we prove old and new results (Wielandt Theorem and a generalization of it, etc.) on the products of nonnegative matrices -- mainly, sum-positive, $\left[ \Delta \right] $-positive on partitions, irreducible, primitive, reducible, fully indecomposable, scrambling, or Sarymsakov matrices, in some cases the matrices being, moreover, $g_{k}^{+}$-matrices (not only irreducible).

Abstract: Let $G_S$ be a graph with loops obtained from a graph $G$ of order $n$ and loops at $S \subseteq V(G)$. In this paper, we establish a neccesary and sufficient condition on the bipartititeness of a connected graph $G$ and the spectrum Spec($G_S$) and Spec($G_{V(G)\backslash S}$). We also prove that for every $S \subseteq V(G)$, $E(G_S) \geq E(G)$ when $G$ is bipartite. Moreover, we provide an identification of the spectrum of complete graphs $K_n$ and complete bipartite graphs $K_{m,n}$ with loops. We characterize any graphs with loops of order n whose eigenvalues are all positive or non-negative, and also any graphs with a few distinct eigenvalues. Finally, we provide some bounds related to $G_S$.

Abstract: We consider the Schur-positivity of monomial immanants of Jacobi-Trudi matrices, in particular whether a non-negative coefficient of the trivial Schur function implies non-negative coefficients for other Schur functions in said immanants. We prove that this true for hook-shape Schur functions using combinatorial methods in a representation theory setting. Our main theorem proves that hook-shape immanant characters can be written as finite non-negative integer sums of Stanley-Stembridge characters, and provides an explicit combinatorial formula for these sums. This resolves a special case of a longstanding conjecture of Stanley and Stembridge that posits such a sum exists for all immanant characters. We also provide several simplifications for computing immanant characters, and several corollaries applying the main result to cases where the coefficient of the trivial Schur function in monomial immanants of Jacobi-Trudi matrices is known to be non-negative.

Abstract: For every regular graph, we define a sequence of integers, using the recursion of the Martin polynomial. This sequence counts spanning tree partitions and constitutes the diagonal coefficients of powers of the Kirchhoff polynomial. We prove that this sequence respects all known symmetries of Feynman period integrals in quantum field theory. We show that other quantities with this property, the $c_2$ invariant and the extended graph permanent, are essentially determined by our new sequence. This proves the completion conjecture for the $c_2$ invariant at all primes, and also that it is fixed under twists. We conjecture that our invariant is perfect: Two Feynman periods are equal, if and only if, their Martin sequences are equal.

Abstract: A tanglegram consists of two rooted binary trees and a perfect matching between their leaves, and a planar tanglegram is one that admits a layout with no crossings. We show that the problem of generating planar tanglegrams uniformly at random reduces to the corresponding problem for irreducible planar tanglegram layouts, which are known to be in bijection with pairs of disjoint triangulations of a convex polygon. We extend the flip operation on a single triangulation to a flip operation on pairs of disjoint triangulations. Interestingly, the resulting flip graph is both connected and regular, and hence a random walk on this graph converges to the uniform distribution. We also show that the restriction of the flip graph to the pairs with a fixed triangulation in either coordinate is connected, and give diameter bounds that are near optimal. Our results furthermore yield new insight into the flip graph of triangulations of a convex $n$-gon with a geometric interpretation on the associahedron.