Cyclic Resultants

We characterize polynomials having the same set of nonzero cyclic resultants. Generically, for a polynomial $f$ of degree $d$, there are exactly $2^{d-1}$ distinct degree $d$ polynomials with the same set of cyclic resultants as $f$. However, in the generic monic case, degree $d$ polynomials are uniquely determined by their cyclic resultants. Moreover, two reciprocal (``palindromic'') polynomials giving rise to the same set of nonzero cyclic resultants are equal. In the process, we also prove a unique factorization result in semigroup algebras involving products of binomials. Finally, we discuss how our results yield algorithms for explicit reconstruction of polynomials from their cyclic resultants.Comment: 16 pages, Journal of Symbolic Computation, print version with errata incorporate

A polynomiality property for Littlewood-Richardson coefficients

We present a polynomiality property of the Littlewood-Richardson coefficients c_{\lambda\mu}^{\nu}. The coefficients are shown to be given by polynomials in \lambda, \mu and \nu on the cones of the chamber complex of a vector partition function. We give bounds on the degree of the polynomials depending on the maximum allowed number of parts of the partitions \lambda, \mu and \nu. We first express the Littlewood-Richardson coefficients as a vector partition function. We then define a hyperplane arrangement from Steinberg's formula, over whose regions the Littlewood-Richardson coefficients are given by polynomials, and relate this arrangement to the chamber complex of the partition function. As an easy consequence, we get a new proof of the fact that c_{N\lambda N\mu}^{N\nu} is given by a polynomial in N, which partially establishes the conjecture of King, Tollu and Toumazet that c_{N\lambda N\mu}^{N\nu} is a polynomial in N with nonnegative rational coefficients.Comment: 14 page

Restricted Dumont permutations, Dyck paths, and noncrossing partitions

We complete the enumeration of Dumont permutations of the second kind avoiding a pattern of length 4 which is itself a Dumont permutation of the second kind. We also consider some combinatorial statistics on Dumont permutations avoiding certain patterns of length 3 and 4 and give a natural bijection between 3142-avoiding Dumont permutations of the second kind and noncrossing partitions that uses cycle decomposition, as well as bijections between 132-, 231- and 321-avoiding Dumont permutations and Dyck paths. Finally, we enumerate Dumont permutations of the first kind simultaneously avoiding certain pairs of 4-letter patterns and another pattern of arbitrary length.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

A Hopf algebra of parking functions

If the moments of a probability measure on $\R$ are interpreted as a specialization of complete homogeneous symmetric functions, its free cumulants are, up to sign, the corresponding specializations of a sequence of Schur positive symmetric functions $(f_n)$. We prove that $(f_n)$ is the Frobenius characteristic of the natural permutation representation of \SG_n on the set of prime parking functions. This observation leads us to the construction of a Hopf algebra of parking functions, which we study in some detail.Comment: AmsLatex, 14 page

Poset topology and homological invariants of algebras arising in algebraic combinatorics

We present a beautiful interplay between combinatorial topology and homological algebra for a class of monoids that arise naturally in algebraic combinatorics. We explore several applications of this interplay. For instance, we provide a new interpretation of the Leray number of a clique complex in terms of non-commutative algebra. R\'esum\'e. Nous pr\'esentons une magnifique interaction entre la topologie combinatoire et l'alg\`ebre homologique d'une classe de mono\"ides qui figurent naturellement dans la combinatoire alg\'ebrique. Nous explorons plusieurs applications de cette interaction. Par exemple, nous introduisons une nouvelle interpr\'etation du nombre de Leray d'un complexe de clique en termes de la dimension globale d'une certaine alg\`ebre non commutative.Comment: This is an extended abstract surveying the results of arXiv:1205.1159 and an article in preparation. 12 pages, 3 Figure

A Refinement of the Ray-Singer Torsion

This is a short version of math.DG/0505537. For an acyclic representation of the fundamental group of a compact oriented odd-dimensional manifold, which is close enough to a unitary representation, we define a refinement of the Ray-Singer torsion associated to this representation. This new invariant can be viewed as an analytic counterpart of the refined combinatorial torsion introduced by Turaev. The refined analytic torsion is a holomorphic function of the representation of the fundamental group. When the representation is unitary, the absolute value of the refined analytic torsion is equal to the Ray-Singer torsion, while its phase is determined by the eta-invariant. The fact that the Ray-Singer torsion and the eta-invariant can be combined into one holomorphic function allows to use methods of complex analysis to study both invariants.Comment: 6 pages, to apper in Comptes rendus Acad. Sci. Pari

A continued fraction expansion for a q-tangent function: An elementary proof

We prove a continued fraction expansion for a certain $q$-tangent function that was conjectured by the present writer, then proved by Fulmek, now in a completely elementary way