arXiv subjects

Alexander Postnikov

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander Postnikov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Scattering Amplitudes and the Positive Grassmannian

We establish a direct connection between scattering amplitudes in planar four-dimensional theories and a remarkable mathematical structure known as the positive Grassmannian. The central physical idea is to focus on on-shell diagrams as objects of fundamental importance to scattering amplitudes. We show that the all-loop integrand in N=4 SYM is naturally represented in this way. On-shell diagrams in this theory are intimately tied to a variety of mathematical objects, ranging from a new graphical representation of permutations to a beautiful stratification of the Grassmannian G(k,n) which generalizes the notion of a simplex in projective space. All physically important operations involving on-shell diagrams map to canonical operations on permutations; in particular, BCFW deformations correspond to adjacent transpositions. Each cell of the positive Grassmannian is naturally endowed with positive coordinates and an invariant measure which determines the on-shell function associated with the diagram. This understanding allows us to classify and compute all on-shell diagrams, and give a geometric understanding for all the non-trivial relations among them. Yangian invariance of scattering amplitudes is transparently represented by diffeomorphisms of G(k,n) which preserve the positive structure. Scattering amplitudes in (1+1)-dimensional integrable systems and the ABJM theory in (2+1) dimensions can both be understood as special cases of these ideas. On-shell diagrams in theories with less (or no) supersymmetry are associated with exactly the same structures in the Grassmannian, but with a measure deformed by a factor encoding ultraviolet singularities. The Grassmannian representation of on-shell processes also gives a new understanding of the all-loop integrand for scattering amplitudes, presenting all integrands in a novel dLog form which directly reflects the underlying positive structure.

hep-th↗

arXiv2014

Schur times Schubert via the Fomin-Kirillov algebra

We study multiplication of any Schubert polynomial $\mathfrak{S}_w$ by a Schur polynomial $s_λ$ (the Schubert polynomial of a Grassmannian permutation) and the expansion of this product in the ring of Schubert polynomials. We derive explicit nonnegative combinatorial expressions for the expansion coefficients for certain special partitions $λ$, including hooks and the 2x2 box. We also prove combinatorially the existence of such nonnegative expansion when the Young diagram of $λ$ is a hook plus a box at the (2,2) corner. We achieve this by evaluating Schubert polynomials at the Dunkl elements of the Fomin-Kirillov algebra and proving special cases of the nonnegativity conjecture of Fomin and Kirillov. This approach works in the more general setup of the (small) quantum cohomology ring of the complex flag manifold and the corresponding (3-point) Gromov-Witten invariants. We provide an algebro-combinatorial proof of the nonnegativity of the Gromov-Witten invariants in these cases, and present combinatorial expressions for these coefficients.

math.CO↗

arXiv2013

Poset vectors and generalized permutohedra

We show that given a poset P and and a subposet Q, the integer points obtained by restricting linear extensions of P to Q can be explained via integer lattice points of a generalized permutohedron.

math.CO↗

arXiv2012

Alcoved Polytopes II

This is the second of two papers where we study polytopes arising from affine Coxeter arrangements. Our results include a formula for their volumes, and also compatible definitions of hypersimplices, descent numbers and major index for all Weyl groups. We give a q-analogue of Weyl's formula for the order of the Weyl group. For A_n, C_n and D_4, we give a Grobner basis which induces the triangulation of alcoved polytopes.

math.CO↗

arXiv2009

Branched polymers and hyperplane arrangements

We generalize the construction of connected branched polymers and the notion of the volume of the space of connected branched polymers studied by Brydges and Imbrie, and Kenyon and Winkler to any hyperplane arrangement A. The volume of the resulting configuration space of connected branched polymers associated to the hyperplane arrangement A is expressed through the value of the characteristic polynomial of A at 0. We give a more general definition of the space of branched polymers, where we do not require connectivity, and introduce the notion of q-volume for it, which is expressed through the value of the characteristic polynomial of A at -q. Finally, we relate the volume of the space of branched polymers to broken circuits and show that the cohomology ring of the space of branched polymers is isomorphic to the Orlik-Solomon algebra.

math.CO↗

arXiv2009

Combinatorics and geometry of power ideals

We investigate ideals in a polynomial ring which are generated by powers of linear forms. Such ideals are closely related to the theories of fat point ideals, Cox rings, and box splines. We pay special attention to a family of power ideals that arises naturally from a hyperplane arrangement A. We prove that their Hilbert series are determined by the combinatorics of A, and can be computed from its Tutte polynomial. We also obtain formulas for the Hilbert series of the resulting fat point ideals and zonotopal Cox rings. Our work unifies and generalizes results due to Dahmen-Micchelli, Holtz-Ron, Postnikov-Shapiro-Shapiro, and Sturmfels-Xu, among others. It also settles a conjecture of Holtz-Ron on the spline interpolation of functions on the interior lattice points of a zonotope.

math.CO↗

arXiv2008

Matching polytopes, toric geometry, and the non-negative part of the Grassmannian

In this paper we use toric geometry to investigate the topology of the totally non-negative part of the Grassmannian (Gr_{kn})_{\geq 0}. This is a cell complex whose cells Delta_G can be parameterized in terms of the combinatorics of plane-bipartite graphs G. To each cell Delta_G we associate a certain polytope P(G). The polytopes P(G) are analogous to the well-known Birkhoff polytopes, and we describe their face lattices in terms of matchings and unions of matchings of G. We also demonstrate a close connection between the polytopes P(G) and matroid polytopes. We then use the data of P(G) to define an associated toric variety X_G. We use our technology to prove that the cell decomposition of (Gr_{kn})_{\geq 0} is a CW complex, and furthermore, that the Euler characteristic of the closure of each cell of (Gr_{kn})_{\geq 0} is 1.

math.AG↗

arXiv2008

Generalized parking functions, descent numbers, and chain polytopes of ribbon posets

We consider the inversion enumerator I_n(q), which counts labeled trees or, equivalently, parking functions. This polynomial has a natural extension to generalized parking functions. Substituting q = -1 into this generalized polynomial produces the number of permutations with a certain descent set. In the classical case, this result implies the formula I_n(-1) = E_n, the number of alternating permutations. We give a combinatorial proof of these formulas based on the involution principle. We also give a geometric interpretation of these identities in terms of volumes of generalized chain polytopes of ribbon posets. The volume of such a polytope is given by a sum over generalized parking functions, which is similar to an expression for the volume of the parking function polytope of Pitman and Stanley.

math.CO↗

arXiv2008

Combinatorial Gelfand Models

A combinatorial construction of a Gelafand model for the symmetric group and its Iwahori-Hecke algebra is presented.

math.RT↗

arXiv2008

A Gelfand Model for Wreath Products

A Gelafand model for wreath products $\Z_r\wr S_n$ is constructed. The proof relies on a combinatorial interpretation of the characters of the model, extending a classical result of Frobenius and Schur.

math.RT↗

arXiv2007

Bruhat order, smooth Schubert varieties, and hyperplane arrangements

The aim of this article is to link Schubert varieties in the flag manifold with hyperplane arrangements. For a permutation, we construct a certain graphical hyperplane arrangement. We show that the generating function for regions of this arrangement coincides with the Poincare polynomial of the corresponding Schubert variety if and only if the Schubert variety is smooth. We give an explicit combinatorial formula for the Poincare polynomial. Our main technical tools are chordal graphs and perfect elimination orderings.

math.CO↗

arXiv2007

Faces of Generalized Permutohedra

The aim of the paper is to calculate face numbers of simple generalized permutohedra, and study their f-, h- and gamma-vectors. These polytopes include permutohedra, associahedra, graph-associahedra, simple graphic zonotopes, nestohedra, and other interesting polytopes. We give several explicit formulas for h-vectors and gamma-vectors involving descent statistics. This includes a combinatorial interpretation for gamma-vectors of a large class of generalized permutohedra which are flag simple polytopes, and confirms for them Gal's conjecture on nonnegativity of gamma-vectors. We calculate explicit generating functions and formulae for h-polynomials of various families of graph-associahedra, including those corresponding to all Dynkin diagrams of finite and affine types. We also discuss relations with Narayana numbers and with Simon Newcomb's problem. We give (and conjecture) upper and lower bounds for f-, h-, and gamma-vectors within several classes of generalized permutohedra. An appendix discusses the equivalence of various notions of deformations of simple polytopes.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

Total positivity, Grassmannians, and networks

The aim of this paper is to discuss a relationship between total positivity and planar directed networks. We show that the inverse boundary problem for these networks is naturally linked with the study of the totally nonnegative Grassmannian. We investigate its cell decomposition, where the cells are the totally nonnegative parts of the matroid strata. The boundary measurements of networks give parametrizations of the cells. We present several different combinatorial descriptions of the cells, study the partial order on the cells, and describe how they are glued to each other.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

A Combinatorial Model for Crystals of Kac-Moody Algebras

We present a simple combinatorial model for the characters of the irreducible integrable highest weight modules for complex symmetrizable Kac-Moody algebras. This model can be viewed as a discrete counterpart to the Littelmann path model. We describe crystal graphs and give a Littlewood-Richardson rule for decomposing tensor products of irreducible representations. The new model is based on the notion of a lambda-chain, which is a chain of positive roots defined by certain interlacing conditions.

math.RT↗

arXiv2006

Alcoved Polytopes I

The aim of this paper is to study alcoved polytopes, which are polytopes arising from affine Coxeter arrangements. This class of convex polytopes includes many classical polytopes, for example, the hypersimplices. We compare two constructions of triangulations of hypersimplices due to Stanley and Sturmfels and explain them in terms of alcoved polytopes. We study triangulations of alcoved polytopes, the adjacency graphs of these triangulations, and give a combinatorial formula for volumes of these polytopes. In particular, we study a class of matroid polytopes, which we call the multi-hypersimplices.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

What power of two divides a weighted Catalan number?

Given a sequence of integers b = (b_0,b_1,b_2,...) one gives a Dyck path P of length 2n the weight wt(P) = b_{h_1} b_{h_2} ... b_{h_n}, where h_i is the height of the ith ascent of P. The corresponding weighted Catalan number is C_n^b = sum_P wt(P), where the sum is over all Dyck paths of length 2n. So, in particular, the ordinary Catalan numbers C_n correspond to b_i = 1 for all i >= 0. Let xi(n) stand for the base two exponent of n, i.e., the largest power of 2 dividing n. We give a condition on b which implies that xi(C_n^b) = xi(C_n). In the special case b_i=(2i+1)^2, this settles a conjecture of Postnikov about the number of plane Morse links. Our proof generalizes the recent combinatorial proof of Deutsch and Sagan of the classical formula for xi(C_n).

math.CO↗

arXiv2005

Schur positivity and Schur log-concavity

We prove Okounkov's conjecture, a conjecture of Fomin-Fulton-Li-Poon, and a special case of Lascoux-Leclerc-Thibon's conjecture on Schur positivity and give several more general statements using a recent result of Rhoades and Skandera. An alternative proof of this result is provided. We also give an intriguing log-concavity property of Schur functions.

math.CO↗

arXiv2005

Permutohedra, associahedra, and beyond

The volume and the number of lattice points of the permutohedron P_n are given by certain multivariate polynomials that have remarkable combinatorial properties. We give several different formulas for these polynomials. We also study a more general class of polytopes that includes the permutohedron, the associahedron, the cyclohedron, the Pitman-Stanley polytope, and various generalized associahedra related to wonderful compactifications of De Concini-Procesi. These polytopes are constructed as Minkowski sums of simplices. We calculate their volumes and describe their combinatorial structure. The coefficients of monomials in Vol P_n are certain positive integer numbers, which we call the mixed Eulerian numbers. These numbers are equal to the mixed volumes of hypersimplices. Various specializations of these numbers give the usual Eulerian numbers, the Catalan numbers, the numbers (n+1)^{n-1} of trees, the binomial coefficients, etc. We calculate the mixed Eulerian numbers using certain binary trees. Many results are extended to an arbitrary Weyl group.

math.CO↗