Cyclic tridiagonal pairs, higher order Onsager algebras and orthogonal polynomials

The concept of cyclic tridiagonal pairs is introduced, and explicit examples are given. For a fairly general class of cyclic tridiagonal pairs with cyclicity N, we associate a pair of `divided polynomials'. The properties of this pair generalize the ones of tridiagonal pairs of Racah type. The algebra generated by the pair of divided polynomials is identified as a higher-order generalization of the Onsager algebra. It can be viewed as a subalgebra of the q-Onsager algebra for a proper specialization at q the primitive 2Nth root of unity. Orthogonal polynomials beyond the Leonard duality are revisited in light of this framework. In particular, certain second-order Dunkl shift operators provide a realization of the divided polynomials at N=2 or q=i.Comment: 32 pages; v2: Appendices improved and extended, e.g. a proof of irreducibility is added; v3: version for Linear Algebra and its Applications, one assumption added in Appendix about eq. (A.2

Distance-regular graphs

This is a survey of distance-regular graphs. We present an introduction to distance-regular graphs for the reader who is unfamiliar with the subject, and then give an overview of some developments in the area of distance-regular graphs since the monograph 'BCN' [Brouwer, A.E., Cohen, A.M., Neumaier, A., Distance-Regular Graphs, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1989] was written.Comment: 156 page

Positive maps and trace polynomials from the symmetric group

With techniques borrowed from quantum information theory, we develop a method to systematically obtain operator inequalities and identities in several matrix variables. These take the form of trace polynomials: polynomial-like expressions that involve matrix monomials $X_{\alpha_1} \cdots X_{\alpha_r}$ and their traces $\operatorname{tr}(X_{\alpha_1} \cdots X_{\alpha_r})$. Our method rests on translating the action of the symmetric group on tensor product spaces into that of matrix multiplication. As a result, we extend the polarized Cayley-Hamilton identity to an operator inequality on the positive cone, characterize the set of multilinear equivariant positive maps in terms of Werner state witnesses, and construct permutation polynomials and tensor polynomial identities on tensor product spaces. We give connections to concepts in quantum information theory and invariant theory.Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables. Extensively rewritten: asymmetric maps, proof for Motzkin matrix polynomial, and connections to QIT added. Comments welcome