Minimal generating sets of non-modular invariant rings of finite groups

It is a classical problem to compute a minimal set of invariant polynomial generating the invariant ring of a finite group as an algebra. We present here an algorithm for the computation of minimal generating sets in the non-modular case. Apart from very few explicit computations of Groebner bases, the algorithm only involves very basic operations, and is thus rather fast. As a test bed for comparative benchmarks, we use transitive permutation groups on 7 and 8 variables. In most examples, our algorithm implemented in Singular works much faster than the one used in Magma, namely by factors between 50 and 1000. We also compute some further examples on more than 8 variables, including a minimal generating set for the natural action of the cyclic group of order 11 in characteristic 0 and of order 15 in characteristic 2. We also apply our algorithm to the computation of irreducible secondary invariants.Comment: 14 pages v3: Timings updated. One example adde

Representation theories of some towers of algebras related to the symmetric groups and their Hecke algebras

We study the representation theory of three towers of algebras which are related to the symmetric groups and their Hecke algebras. The first one is constructed as the algebras generated simultaneously by the elementary transpositions and the elementary sorting operators acting on permutations. The two others are the monoid algebras of nondecreasing functions and nondecreasing parking functions. For these three towers, we describe the structure of simple and indecomposable projective modules, together with the Cartan map. The Grothendieck algebras and coalgebras given respectively by the induction product and the restriction coproduct are also given explicitly. This yields some new interpretations of the classical bases of quasi-symmetric and noncommutative symmetric functions as well as some new bases.Comment: 12 pages. Presented at FPSAC'06 San-Diego, June 2006 (minor explanation improvements w.r.t. the previous version

Some relational structures with polynomial growth and their associated algebras II: Finite generation

The profile of a relational structure $R$ is the function $\varphi_R$ which counts for every integer $n$ the number, possibly infinite, $\varphi_R(n)$ of substructures of $R$ induced on the $n$-element subsets, isomorphic substructures being identified. If $\varphi_R$ takes only finite values, this is the Hilbert function of a graded algebra associated with $R$, the age algebra $A(R)$, introduced by P.~J.~Cameron. In a previous paper, we studied the relationship between the properties of a relational structure and those of their algebra, particularly when the relational structure $R$ admits a finite monomorphic decomposition. This setting still encompasses well-studied graded commutative algebras like invariant rings of finite permutation groups, or the rings of quasi-symmetric polynomials. In this paper, we investigate how far the well know algebraic properties of those rings extend to age algebras. The main result is a combinatorial characterization of when the age algebra is finitely generated. In the special case of tournaments, we show that the age algebra is finitely generated if and only if the profile is bounded. We explore the Cohen-Macaulay property in the special case of invariants of permutation groupoids. Finally, we exhibit sufficient conditions on the relational structure that make naturally the age algebra into a Hopf algebra.Comment: 27 pages; submitte

On the theta number of powers of cycle graphs

We give a closed formula for Lovasz theta number of the powers of cycle graphs and of their complements, the circular complete graphs. As a consequence, we establish that the circular chromatic number of a circular perfect graph is computable in polynomial time. We also derive an asymptotic estimate for this theta number.Comment: 17 page