Asymptotics of Generating the Symmetric and Alternating Groups

Counting Permutations by Alternating Descents

We find the exponential generating function for permutations with all valleys even and all peaks odd, and use it to determine the asymptotics for its coefficients, answering a question posed by Liviu Nicolaescu. The generating function can be expressed as the reciprocal of a sum involving Euler numbers: ( 1− E1x + E3 x3 3! − E4 x4 4! + E6 x6 6! − E7 x7 7! + · · · )−1 , (∗) where ∑∞ n=0Enx n/n! ...

Finite Groups with p-Sylow Coverings

Asymptotics of Symmetric Polynomials with Applications to Statistical Mechanics and Representation Theory

We develop a new method for studying the asymptotics of symmetric polynomials of representation–theoretic origin as the number of variables tends to infinity. Several applications of our method are presented: We prove a number of theorems concerning characters of infinite–dimensional unitary group and their q– deformations. We study the behavior of uniformly random lozenge tilings of large poly...

Asymptotic Cost of Cutting Down Random Free Trees

In this work, we calculate the limit distribution of the total cost incurred by splitting a tree selected at random from the set of all finite free trees. This total cost is considered to be an additive functional induced by a toll equal to the square of the size of tree. The main tools used are the recent results connecting the asymptotics of generating functions with the asymptotics of...

Congruences for the Number of Spin Characters of the Double Covers of the Symmetric and Alternating Groups

Let p be an odd prime. The bar partitions with sign and p-bar-core partitions with sign respectively label the spin characters and p-defect zero spin characters of the double cover of the symmetric group, and by restriction, those of the alternating group. The generating functions for these objects have been determined by J. Olsson. We study these functions from an arithmetic perspective, using...