Invariant and coinvariant spaces for the algebra of symmetric polynomials in non-commuting variables

We analyze the structure of the algebra N of symmetric polynomials in non-commuting variables in so far as it relates to its commutative counterpart. Using the "place-action" of the symmetric group, we are able to realize the latter as the invariant polynomials inside the former. We discover a tensor product decomposition of N analogous to the classical theorems of Chevalley, Shephard-Todd on finite reflection groups.Comment: 14 page

The primitives and antipode in the Hopf algebra of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables

We identify a collection of primitive elements generating the Hopf algebra NCSym of symmetric functions in noncommuting variables and give a combinatorial formula for the antipode.Comment: 8 pages; footnote added; references added; further remarks adde

The characteristic polynomial of the Adams operators on graded connected Hopf algebras

The Adams operators $\Psi_n$ on a Hopf algebra $H$ are the convolution powers of the identity of $H$. We study the Adams operators when $H$ is graded connected. They are also called Hopf powers or Sweedler powers. The main result is a complete description of the characteristic polynomial (both eigenvalues and their multiplicities) for the action of the operator $\Psi_n$ on each homogeneous component of $H$. The eigenvalues are powers of $n$. The multiplicities are independent of $n$, and in fact only depend on the dimension sequence of $H$. These results apply in particular to the antipode of $H$ (the case $n=-1$). We obtain closed forms for the generating function of the sequence of traces of the Adams operators. In the case of the antipode, the generating function bears a particularly simple relationship to the one for the dimension sequence. In case H is cofree, we give an alternative description for the characteristic polynomial and the trace of the antipode in terms of certain palindromic words. We discuss parallel results that hold for Hopf monoids in species and $q$-Hopf algebras.Comment: 36 pages; two appendice

QSym over Sym has a stable basis

We prove that the subset of quasisymmetric polynomials conjectured by Bergeron and Reutenauer to be a basis for the coinvariant space of quasisymmetric polynomials is indeed a basis. This provides the first constructive proof of the Garsia-Wallach result stating that quasisymmetric polynomials form a free module over symmetric polynomials and that the dimension of this module is n!.Comment: 12 page

Hopf structures on the multiplihedra

We investigate algebraic structures that can be placed on vertices of the multiplihedra, a family of polytopes originating in the study of higher categories and homotopy theory. Most compelling among these are two distinct structures of a Hopf module over the Loday-Ronco Hopf algebra.Comment: 24 pages, 112 .eps file