Results and conjectures on simultaneous core partitions

An n-core partition is an integer partition whose Young diagram contains no hook lengths equal to n. We consider partitions that are simultaneously a-core and b-core for two relatively prime integers a and b. These are related to abacus diagrams and the combinatorics of the affine symmetric group (type A). We observe that self-conjugate simultaneous core partitions correspond to the combinatorics of type C, and use abacus diagrams to unite the discussion of these two sets of objects. In particular, we prove that (2n)- and (2mn+1)-core partitions correspond naturally to dominant alcoves in the m-Shi arrangement of type C_n, generalizing a result of Fishel--Vazirani for type A. We also introduce a major statistic on simultaneous n- and (n+1)-core partitions and on self-conjugate simultaneous (2n)- and (2n+1)-core partitions that yield q-analogues of the Coxeter-Catalan numbers of type A and type C. We present related conjectures and open questions on the average size of a simultaneous core partition, q-analogs of generalized Catalan numbers, and generalizations to other Coxeter groups. We also discuss connections with the cyclic sieving phenomenon and q,t-Catalan numbers.Comment: 17 pages; to appear in the European Journal of Combinatoric

Core partitions with distinct parts

Simultaneous core partitions have attracted much attention since Anderson's work on the number of $(t_1,t_2)$-core partitions. In this paper we focus on simultaneous core partitions with distinct parts. The generating function of $t$-core partitions with distinct parts is obtained. We also prove the results on the number, the largest size and the average size of $(t, t + 1)$-core partitions. This gives a complete answer to a conjecture of Amdeberhan, which is partly and independently proved by Straub, Nath and Sellers, and Zaleski recently.Comment: 8 page

When Does the Set of (a,b,c)(a, b, c)-Core Partitions Have a Unique Maximal Element?

In 2007, Olsson and Stanton gave an explicit form for the largest $(a, b)$-core partition, for any relatively prime positive integers $a$ and $b$, and asked whether there exists an $(a, b)$-core that contains all other $(a, b)$-cores as subpartitions; this question was answered in the affirmative first by Vandehey and later by Fayers independently. In this paper we investigate a generalization of this question, which was originally posed by Fayers: for what triples of positive integers $(a, b, c)$ does there exist an $(a, b, c)$-core that contains all other $(a, b, c)$-cores as subpartitions? We completely answer this question when $a$, $b$, and $c$ are pairwise relatively prime; we then use this to generalize the result of Olsson and Stanton.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

On the largest sizes of certain simultaneous core partitions with distinct parts

Motivated by Amdeberhan's conjecture on $(t,t+1)$-core partitions with distinct parts, various results on the numbers, the largest sizes and the average sizes of simultaneous core partitions with distinct parts were obtained by many mathematicians recently. In this paper, we derive the largest sizes of $(t,mt\pm 1)$-core partitions with distinct parts, which verifies a generalization of Amdeberhan's conjecture. We also prove that the numbers of such partitions with the largest sizes are at most $2$.Comment: 9 page

Theorems, Problems and Conjectures

These notes are designed to offer some (perhaps new) codicils to related work, a list of problems and conjectures seeking (preferably) combinatorial proofs. The main items are Eulerian polynomials and hook/contents of Young diagram, mostly on the latter. The new additions include items on Frobenius theorem and multi-core partitions; most recently, some problems on (what we call) colored overpartitions. Formulas analogues to or in the spirit of works by Han, Nekrasov-Okounkov and Stanley are distributed throughout. Concluding remarks are provided at the end in hopes of directing the interested researcher, properly.Comment: 14 page