The Algebra of Directed Acyclic Graphs

We give an algebraic presentation of directed acyclic graph structure, introducing a symmetric monoidal equational theory whose free PROP we characterise as that of finite abstract dags with input/output interfaces. Our development provides an initial-algebra semantics for dag structure

Cyclic inclusion-exclusion

Following the lead of Stanley and Gessel, we consider a morphism which associates to an acyclic directed graph (or a poset) a quasi-symmetric function. The latter is naturally defined as multivariate generating series of non-decreasing functions on the graph. We describe the kernel of this morphism, using a simple combinatorial operation that we call cyclic inclusion-exclusion. Our result also holds for the natural noncommutative analog and for the commutative and noncommutative restrictions to bipartite graphs. An application to the theory of Kerov character polynomials is given.Comment: comments welcom

Algebras associated to acyclic directed graphs

We construct and study a class of algebras associated to generalized layered graphs, i.e. directed graphs with a ranking function on their vertices. Each finite directed acyclic graph admits countably many structures of a generalized layered graph. We construct linear bases in such algebras and compute their Hilbert series. Our interest to generalized layered graphs and algebras associated to those graphs is motivated by their relations to factorizations of polynomials over noncommutative rings.Comment: 20 pages, Latex; an expanded and corrected version; to appear in "Advances of Applied Mathematics