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Karola Mészáros

Publications and source records attributed to Karola Mészáros.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

A dimer view on Fox's trapezoidal conjecture

Fox's conjecture (1962) states that the sequence of absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial of alternating links is trapezoidal. While the conjecture remains open in general, a number of special cases have been settled, some quite recently: Fox's conjecture was shown to hold for special alternating links by Hafner, Mészáros, and Vidinas (2023) and for certain diagrammatic Murasugi sums of special alternating links by Azarpendar, Juhász, and Kálmán (2024). In this paper, we give an alternative proof of Azarpendar, Juhász, and Kálmán's aforementioned beautiful result via a dimer model for the Alexander polynomial. In doing so, we not only obtain a significantly shorter proof of Azarpendar, Juhász, and Kálmán's result than the original, but we also obtain several theorems of independent interest regarding the Alexander polynomial, which are readily visible from the dimer point of view.

math.CO↗
arXiv2025

On the Alexander polynomial of special alternating links

The Alexander polynomial (1928) is the first polynomial invariant of links devised to help distinguish links up to isotopy. Fox's conjecture (1962) -- stating that the absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial for any alternating link are trapezoidal -- was settled for special alternating links by the present authors (2023); Kálmán, the second author, and Postnikov gave an alternative proof (2025). The present paper is a study of the special combinatorial and discrete geometric properties that Alexander polynomials of special alternating links possess along with a generalization to all Eulerian graphs, introduced by Murasugi and Stoimenow (2003). We prove that the Murasugi and Stoimenow generalized Alexander polynomials can be expressed in terms of volumes of root polytopes of unimodular matrices. The latter generalizes a result regarding the Alexander polynomials of special alternating links that follows by putting together the work of Li and Postnikov (2013) and Kálmán, the second author, and Postnikov (2025). Furthermore, we conjecture a generalization of Fox's conjecture to the generalized Alexander polynomials of Murasugi and Stoimenow and bijectively relate two longstanding combinatorial models for the Alexander polynomials of special alternating links: Crowell's state model (1959) and Kauffman's state model (1982, 2006).

math.GT↗
arXiv2025

Trapezodial property of the generalized Alexander polynomial

Fox's conjecture from 1962, that the absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial of an alternating link are trapezoidal, has remained stubbornly open to this date. Recently Fox's conjecture was settled for all special alternating links. In this paper we take a broad view of the Alexander polynomials of special alternating links, showing that they are a generating function for a statistic on certain vector configurations. We study three types of vector configurations: (1) vectors arising from cographic matroids, (2) vectors arising from graphic matroids, (3) vectors arising from totally positive matrices. We prove that Alexander polynomials of special alternating links belong to both classes (1) and (2), and prove log-concavity, respectively trapezoidal, properties for classes (2) and (3). As a special case of our results, we obtain a new proof of Fox's conjecture for special alternating links.

math.CO↗
arXiv2024

Dimer face polynomials in knot theory and cluster algebras

The set of perfect matchings of a connected bipartite plane graph $G$ has the structure of a distributive lattice, as shown by Propp, where the partial order is induced by the height of a matching. In this article, our focus is the dimer face polynomial of $G$, which is the height generating function of all perfect matchings of $G$. We connect the dimer face polynomial on the one hand to knot theory, and on the other to cluster algebras. We show that certain dimer face polynomials are multivariate generalizations of Alexander polynomials of links, highlighting another combinatorial view of the Alexander polynomial. We also show that an arbitrary dimer face polynomial is an $F$-polynomial in the cluster algebra whose initial quiver is dual to the graph $G$. As a result, we recover a recent representation theoretic result of Bazier-Matte and Schiffler that connects $F$-polynomials and Alexander polynomials, albeit from a very different, dimer-based perspective. As another application of our results, we also show that all nonvanishing Plücker coordinates on open positroid varieties are cluster monomials.

math.CO↗
arXiv2023

Log-concavity of the Alexander polynomial

The central question of knot theory is that of distinguishing links up to isotopy. The first polynomial invariant of links devised to help answer this question was the Alexander polynomial (1928). Almost a century after its introduction, it still presents us with tantalizing questions such as Fox's conjecture (1962) that the absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial $Δ_L(t)$ of an alternating link $L$ are unimodal. Fox's conjecture remains open in general, with special cases settled by Hartley (1979) for two-bridged knots, by Murasugi (1985) for a family of alternating algebraic links, and by Ozsváth and Szabó (2003) for the case of genus $2$ alternating knots, among others. We settle Fox's conjecture for special alternating links. We do so by proving that a certain multivariate generalization of the Alexander polynomial of special alternating links is Lorentzian. As a consequence, we obtain that the absolute values of the coefficients of $Δ_L(t)$, where $L$ is a special alternating link, form a log-concave sequence with no internal zeros. In particular, they are unimodal.

math.GT↗
arXiv2023

M-convexity of Grothendieck polynomials via bubbling

We introduce bubbling diagrams and show that they compute the support of the Grothendieck polynomial of any vexillary permutation. Using these diagrams, we show that the support of the top homogeneous component of such a Grothendieck polynomial coincides with the support of the dual character of an explicit flagged Weyl module. We also show that the homogenized Grothendieck polynomial of a vexillary permutation has M-convex support.

math.CO↗
arXiv2022

On the degree of Grothendieck polynomials

A beautiful degree formula for the Grothendieck polynomials was recently given by Pechenik, Speyer, and Weigandt (2021). We provide an alternative proof of their degree formula, utilizing the climbing chain model for Grothendieck polynomials introduced by Lenart, Robinson, and Sottile (2006). Moreover, for any term order satisfying $x_1 x_2>\cdots>x_n$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2022

On the support of Grothendieck polynomials

Grothendieck polynomials $\mathfrak{G}_w$ of permutations $w\in S_n$ were introduced by Lascoux and Schützenberger in 1982 as a set of distinguished representatives for the K-theoretic classes of Schubert cycles in the K-theory of the flag variety of $\mathbb{C}^n$. We conjecture that the exponents of nonzero terms of the Grothendieck polynomial $\mathfrak{G}_w$ form a poset under componentwise comparison that is isomorphic to an induced subposet of $\mathbb{Z}^n$. When $w\in S_n$ avoids a certain set of patterns, we conjecturally connect the coefficients of $\mathfrak{G}_w$ with the Möbius function values of the aforementioned poset with $\hat{0}$ appended. We prove special cases of our conjectures for Grassmannian and fireworks permutations.

math.CO↗
arXiv2021

Principal specialization of dual characters of flagged Weyl modules

Schur polynomials are special cases of Schubert polynomials, which in turn are special cases of dual characters of flagged Weyl modules. The principal specialization of Schur and Schubert polynomials has a long history, with Macdonald famously expressing the principal specialization of any Schubert polynomial in terms of reduced words. We study the principal specialization of dual characters of flagged Weyl~modules. Our result yields an alternative proof of a conjecture of Stanley about the principal specialization of Schubert polynomials, originally proved by Weigandt.

math.CO↗
arXiv2021

Inclusion-exclusion on Schubert polynomials

We prove that an inclusion-exclusion inspired expression of Schubert polynomials of permutations that avoid the patterns 1432 and 1423 is nonnegative. Our theorem implies a partial affirmative answer to a recent conjecture of Yibo Gao about principal specializations of Schubert polynomials. We propose a general framework for finding inclusion-exclusion inspired expression of Schubert polynomials of all permutations.

math.CO↗
arXiv2021

An orthodontia formula for Grothendieck polynomials

We give a new operator formula for Grothendieck polynomials that generalizes Magyar's Demazure operator formula for Schubert polynomials. Our proofs are purely combinatorial, contrasting with the geometric and representation theoretic tools used by Magyar. We apply our formula to prove a necessary divisibility condition for a monomial to appear in a given Grothendieck polynomial.

math.CO↗
arXiv2020

Counting integer points of flow polytopes

The Baldoni--Vergne volume and Ehrhart polynomial formulas for flow polytopes are significant in at least two ways. On one hand, these formulas are in terms of Kostant partition functions, connecting flow polytopes to this classical vector partition function fundamental in representation theory. On the other hand the Ehrhart polynomials can be read off from the volume functions of flow polytopes. The latter is remarkable since the leading term of the Ehrhart polynomial of an integer polytope is its volume! Baldoni and Vergne proved these formulas via residues. To reveal the geometry of these formulas, the second author and Morales gave a fully geometric proof for the volume formula and a part generating function proof for the Ehrhart polynomial formula. The goal of the present paper is to provide a fully geometric proof for the Ehrhart polynomial formula of flow polytopes.

math.CO↗
arXiv2020

Zero-one Schubert polynomials

We prove that if $σ\in S_m$ is a pattern of $w \in S_n$, then we can express the Schubert polynomial $\mathfrak{S}_w$ as a monomial times $\mathfrak{S}_σ$ (in reindexed variables) plus a polynomial with nonnegative coefficients. This implies that the set of permutations whose Schubert polynomials have all their coefficients equal to either 0 or 1 is closed under pattern containment. Using Magyar's orthodontia, we characterize this class by a list of twelve avoided patterns. We also give other equivalent conditions on $\mathfrak{S}_w$ being zero-one. In this case, the Schubert polynomial $\mathfrak{S}_w$ is equal to the integer point transform of a generalized permutahedron.

math.CO↗
arXiv2020

From generalized permutahedra to Grothendieck polynomials via flow polytopes

We study a family of dissections of flow polytopes arising from the subdivision algebra. To each dissection of a flow polytope, we associate a polynomial, called the left-degree polynomial, which we show is invariant of the dissection considered (proven independently by Grinberg). We prove that left-degree polynomials encode integer points of generalized permutahedra. Using that certain left-degree polynomials are related to Grothendieck polynomials, we resolve special cases of conjectures by Monical, Tokcan, and Yong regarding the saturated Newton polytope property of Grothendieck polynomials.

math.CO↗
arXiv2019

Lorentzian polynomials from polytope projections

Lorentzian polynomials, recently introduced by Brändén and Huh, generalize the notion of log-concavity of sequences to homogeneous polynomials whose supports are integer points of generalized permutahedra. Brändén and Huh show that normalizations of polynomials equaling integer point transforms of generalized permutahedra are Lorentzian; moreover, normalizations of certain projections of integer point transforms of generalized permutahedra with zero-one vertices are also Lorentzian. Taking this polytopal perspective further, we show that normalizations of certain projections of integer point transforms of flow polytopes (which, before projection, are not Lorentzian), are also Lorentzian.

math.CO↗
arXiv2019

Root Cones and the Resonance Arrangement

We study the connection between triangulations of a type $A$ root polytope and the resonance arrangement, a hyperplane arrangement that shows up in a surprising number of contexts. Despite an elementary definition for the resonance arrangement, the number of resonance chambers has only been computed up to the $n=8$ dimensional case. We focus on data structures for labeling chambers, such as sign vectors and sets of alternating trees, with an aim at better understanding the structure of the resonance arrangement, and, in particular, enumerating its chambers. Along the way, we make connections with similar (and similarly difficult) enumeration questions. With the root polytope viewpoint, we relate resonance chambers to the chambers of polynomiality of the Kostant partition function. With the hyperplane viewpoint, we clarify the connections between resonance chambers and threshold functions. In particular, we show that the base-2 logarithm of the number of resonance chambers is asymptotically $n^2$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2019

Schubert polynomials as projections of Minkowski sums of Gelfand-Tsetlin polytopes

Gelfand-Tsetlin polytopes are classical objects in algebraic combinatorics arising in the representation theory of $\mathfrak{gl}_n(\mathbb{C})$. The integer point transform of the Gelfand-Tsetlin polytope $\mathrm{GT}(λ)$ projects to the Schur function $s_λ$. Schur functions form a distinguished basis of the ring of symmetric functions; they are also special cases of Schubert polynomials $\mathfrak{S}_{w}$ corresponding to Grassmannian permutations. For any permutation $w \in S_n$ with column-convex Rothe diagram, we construct a polytope $\mathcal{P}_{w}$ whose integer point transform projects to the Schubert polynomial $\mathfrak{S}_{w}$. Such a construction has been sought after at least since the construction of twisted cubes by Grossberg and Karshon in 1994, whose integer point transforms project to Schubert polynomials $\mathfrak{S}_{w}$ for all $w \in S_n$. However, twisted cubes are not honest polytopes; rather one can think of them as signed polytopal complexes. Our polytope $\mathcal{P}_{w}$ is a convex polytope. We also show that $\mathcal{P}_{w}$ is a Minkowski sum of Gelfand-Tsetlin polytopes of varying sizes. When the permutation $w$ is Grassmannian, the Gelfand-Tsetlin polytope is recovered. We conclude by showing that the Gelfand-Tsetlin polytope is a flow polytope.

math.CO↗