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Let $S_n$ denote the symmetric group. We consider \begin{equation*} N_{\ell}(n) := \frac{\left\vert Hom\left( \mathbb{Z}^{\ell},S_n\right) \right\vert}{n!} \end{equation*} which also counts the number of $\ell$-tuples $\pi=\left( \pi_1, \ldots, \pi_{\ell}\right) \in S_n^{\ell}$ with $\pi_i \pi_j = \pi_j \pi_i$ for $1 \leq i,j \leq \ell$ scaled by $n!$. A recursion formula, generating function, and Euler product have been discovered by Dey, Wohlfahrt, Bryman and Fulman, and White. Let $a,b, \ell \geq 2$. It is known by Bringman, Franke, and Heim, that the Bessenrodt--Ono inequality \begin{equation*} \Delta_{a,b}^{\ell}:= N_{\ell}(a) \, N_{\ell}(b) - N_{\ell}(a+b) >0 \end{equation*} is valid for $a,b \gg 1$ and by Bessenrodt and Ono that it is valid for $\ell =2$ and $a+b >9$. In this paper we prove that for each pair $(a,b)$ the sign of $\{\Delta_{a,b}^{\ell} \}_{\ell}$ is getting stable. In each case we provide an explicit bound. The numbers $N_{\ell}\left( n\right) $ had been identified by Bryan and Fulman as the $n$-th orbifold characteristics, generalizing work by Macdonald and Hirzebruch--H\"{o}fer concerning the ordinary and string-theoretic Euler characteristics of symmetric products, where $N_2(n)=p(n) $ represents the partition function.

We build upon the work by Bessenrodt and Ono, as well as Beckwith and Bessenrodt concerning the combined additive and multiplicative behavior of the $k$-regular partition functions $p_k(n)$. Our focus is on addressing the solutions of the Bessenrodt--Ono inequality \begin{equation*} p_k(a) \, p_k(b) > p_k(a+b). \end{equation*} We determine the sets $E_k$ and $F_k$ consisting of all pairs $(a,b)$, where we have equality or the opposite inequality. Bessenrodt and Ono previously determined the exception sets $E_{\infty}$ and $F_{\infty}$ for the partition function $p(n)$. We prove by induction that $E_k=E_{\infty}$ and $F_k=F_{\infty}$ if and only if $k \geq 10$. Beckwith and Bessenrodt used analytic methods to consider $2 \leq k \leq 6$, while Alanazi, Gagola, and Munagi studied the case $k=2$ using combinatorial methods. Finally, we present a precise and comprehensive conjecture on the log-concavity of the $k$-regular partition function extending previous speculations by Craig and Pun. The case $k=2$ was recently proven by Dong and Ji.

Let $S_n$ denote the symmetric group of permutations acting on $n$ elements. We investigate the double sequence $\{N_{\ell}(n)\}$ counting the number of $\ell$ tuples of elements of the symmetric group $S_n$, where the components commute, normalized by the order of $S_n$. Our focus lies on exploring log-concavity with respect to $n$: $$ N_{\ell}(n)^2 - N_{\ell}(n-1) \,\, N_{\ell}(n+1) \geq 0.$$ We establish that this depends on $n \pmod{3}$ for sufficiently large $\ell$. These numbers are studied by Bryan and Fulman as the $n$th orbifold characteristics, generalizing work of Macdonald and Hirzebruch--Hofer concerning the ordinary and string-theoretic Euler characteristics of symmetric products. Notably, $N_2(n)$ represents the partition numbers $p(n)$, while $N_{3}(n)$ represents the number of non-equivalent $n$-sheeted coverings of a torus studied by Liskovets and Medynkh. The numbers also appear in algebra since $ \vert S_n \vert \,\, N_{\ell}(n) = \left\vert Hom \left( \mathbb{Z}^{\ell},S_n\right) \right\vert $.

For an arbitrary set or multiset $A$ of positive integers, we associate the $A$-partition function $p_A(n)$ (that is the number of partitions of $n$ whose parts belong to $A$). We also consider the analogue of the $k$-colored partition function, namely, $p_{A,-k}(n)$. Further, we define a family of polynomials $f_{A,n}(x)$ which satisfy the equality $f_{A,n}(k)=p_{A,-k}(n)$ for all $n\in\mathbb{Z}_{\geq0}$ and $k\in\mathbb{N}$. This paper concerns the polynomization of the Bessenrodt--Ono type inequality for $f_{A,n}(x)$: \begin{align*} f_{A,a}(x)f_{A,b}(x)>f_{A,a+b}(x), \end{align*} where $a$ and $b$ are arbitrary positive integers; and delivers some efficient criteria for its solutions. Moreover, we also investigate a few basic properties related to both functions $f_{A,n}(x)$ and $f_{A,n}'(x)$., Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures

The zeros of D'Arcais polynomials, also known as Nekrasov--Okounkov polynomials, dictate the vanishing of the Fourier coefficients of powers of the Dedekind functions. These polynomials satisfy difference equations of hereditary type with non-constant coefficients. We relate the D'Arcais polynomials to polynomials satisying a Volterra difference equation of convolution type. We obtain results on the transfer of the location of the zeros. As an application, we obtain an identity between Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind and $1$-associated Laguerre polynomials. We obtain a new version of the Lehmer conjecture and bounds for the zeros of the Hermite polynomials.

We expand on the remark by Andrews on the importance of infinite sums and products in combinatorics. Let $\{g_d(n)\}_{d\geq 0,n \geq 1}$ be the double sequences $\sigma_d(n)= \sum_{\ell \mid n} \ell^d$ or $\psi_d(n)= n^d$. We associate double sequences $\left\{ p^{g_{d} }\left( n\right) \right\}$ and $\left\{ q^{g_{d} }\left( n\right) \right\} $, defined as the coefficients of \begin{eqnarray*} \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} p^{g_{d} }\left( n\right) \, t^{n} & := & \prod_{n=1}^{\infty} \left( 1 - t^{n} \right)^{-\frac{ \sum_{\ell \mid n} \mu(\ell) \, g_d(n/\ell) }{n} }, \\ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} q^{g_{d} }\left( n\right) \, t^{n} & := & \frac{1}{1 - \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} g_d(n) \, t^{n} }. \end{eqnarray*} These coefficients are related to the number of partitions $\mathrm{p}\left( n\right) = p^{\sigma _{1 }}\left ( n\right) $, plane partitions $pp\left( n\right) = p^{\sigma _{2 }}\left( n\right) $ of $n$, and Fibonacci numbers $F_{2n} = q^{\psi _{1 }}\left( n\right) $. Let $n \geq 3$ and let $n \equiv 0 \pmod{3}$. Then the coefficients are log-concave at $n$ for almost all $d$ in the exponential and geometric cases. The coefficients are not log-concave for almost all $d$ in both cases, if $n \equiv 2 \pmod{3}$. Let $n\equiv 1 \pmod{3}$. Then the log-concave property flips for almost all $d$.

We construct a new parametrization of double sequences $\{A_{n,k}(s)\}_{n,k}$ between $A_{n,k}(0)= \binom{n-1}{k-1}$ and $A_{n,k}(1)= \frac{1}{n!}\stirl{n}{k}$, where $\stirl{n}{k}$ are the unsigned Stirling numbers of the first kind. For each $s$ we prove a central limit theorem and a local limit theorem. This extends the de\,Moivre--Laplace central limit theorem and Goncharov's result, that unsigned Stirling numbers of the first kind are asymptotically normal. Herewith, we provide several applications.

In the $1970$s, Nicolas proved that the partition function $p(n)$ is log-concave for $ n > 25$. In \cite{HNT21}, a precise conjecture on the log-concavity for the plane partition function $\func{pp}(n)$ for $n >11$ was stated. This was recently proven by Ono, Pujahari, and Rolen. In this paper, we provide a general picture. We associate to double sequences $\{g_d(n)\}_{d,n}$ with $g_d(1)=1$ and $$0 \leq g_{d}\left( n\right) - n^{d}\leq g_{1}\left( n\right) \left( n-1\right) ^{d-1}$$ polynomials $\{P_n^{g_d}(x)\}_{d,n}$ given by \begin{equation*} \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} P_n^{g_d}(x) \, q^n := \func{exp}\left( x \sum_{n=1}^{\infty} g_d(n) \frac{q^n}{n} \right) =\prod_{n=1}^{\infty} \left( 1 - q^n \right)^{-x f_d(n)}. \end{equation*} We recover $ p(n)= P_n^{\sigma_1}(1)$ and $\func{pp}\left( n\right) = P_n^{\sigma_2}(1)$, where $\sigma_d (n):= \sum_{\ell \mid n} \ell^d$ and $f_d(n)= n^{d-1}$. Let $n \geq 6$. Then the sequence $\{P_n^{\sigma_d}(1)\}_d$ is log-concave for almost all $d$ if and only if $n$ is divisible by $3$. Let $\func{id}(n)=n$. Then $P_n^{\func{id}}(x) = \frac{x}{n} L_{n-1}^{(1)}(-x)$, where $L_{n}^{\left( \alpha \right) }\left( x\right) $ denotes the $\alpha$-associated Laguerre polynomial. In this paper, we invest in Tur\'an inequalities \begin{equation*} \Delta_{n}^{g_d}(x) := \left( P_n^{g_d}(x) \right)^2 - P_{n-1}^{g_d}(x) \, P_{n+1}^{g_d}(x) \geq 0. \end{equation*} Let $n \geq 6$ and $0 \leq x < 2 - \frac{12}{n+4}$. Then $n$ is divisible by $3$ if and only if $\Delta_{n}^{g_d}(x) \geq 0$ for almost all $d$. Let $n \geq 6$ and $n \not\equiv 2 \pmod{3}$. Then the condition on $x$ can be reduced to $x \geq 0$. We determine explicit bounds. As an analogue to Nicolas' result, we have for $g_1= \func{id}$ that $\Delta_{n}^{\func{id}}(x) \geq 0$ for all $x \geq 0 $ and all $n$.

We study arithmetic and asymptotic properties of polynomials provided by $Q_n(x):= x \sum_{k=1}^n k \, Q_{n-k}(x)$ with initial value $Q_0(x)=1$. The coefficients satisfy a central limit theorem and a local limit theorem involving Fibonacci numbers. We apply methods of Berry and Esseen, Harper, Bender, and Canfield.

Let $g$ and $h$ be real-valued arithmetic functions, positive and normalized. Specific choices within the following general scheme of recursively defined polynomials \begin{equation*} P_n^{g,h}(x):= \frac{x}{h(n)} \sum_{k=1}^{n} g(k) \, P_{n-k}^{g,h}(x), \end{equation*} with initial value $P_{0}^{g,h}(x)=1$ encode information about several classical, widely studied polynomials. This includes Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind, associated Laguerre polynomials, and the Nekrasov--Okounkov polynomials. In this paper we prove that for $g(n)=n$ and fixed $h$ we obtain orthogonal polynomial sequences for positive definite functionals. Let $h(n)=n^s$ with $0 \leq s \leq 1 $. Then the sequence satisfies Tur\'an inequalities for $x \geq 0$.

In the $1970$s Nicolas proved that the coefficients $p_d(n)$ defined by the generating function \begin{equation*} \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} p_d(n) \, q^n = \prod_{n=1}^{\infty} \left( 1- q^n\right)^{-n^{d-1}} \end{equation*} are log-concave for $d=1$. Recently, Ono, Pujahari, and Rolen have extended the result to $d=2$. Note that $p_1(n)=p(n)$ is the partition function and $p_2(n)=\func{pp}\left( n\right) $ is the number of plane partitions. In this paper, we invest in properties for $p_d(n)$ for general $d$. Let $n \geq 6$. Then $p_d(n)$ is almost log-concave for $n$ divisible by $3$ and almost strictly log-convex otherwise.

Inequalities are important features in the context of sequences of numbers and polynomials. The Bessenrodt--Ono inequality for partition numbers and Nekrasov--Okounkov polynomials has only recently been discovered. In this paper we study the log-concavity (Tur\'{a}n inequality) and Bessenrodt--Ono inequality for plane partitions and their polynomization.

We study the zero distribution of non-orthogonal polynomials attached to $g(n)=s(n)=n^2$: \begin{equation*} Q_n^g(x)= x \sum_{k=1}^n g(k) \, Q_{n-k}^g(x), \quad Q_0^g(x):=1. \end{equation*} It is known that the case $g=id$ involves Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind. The zeros of $Q_n^s(x)$ are real, simple, and are located in $(-6\sqrt{3},0]$. Let $N_n(a,b)$ be the number of zeros between $-6 \sqrt{3} \leq a < b \leq 0$. Then we determine a density function $v(x)$, such that \begin{equation*} \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \frac{N_n(a,b)}{n} = \int_a^b v(x) \,\, \mathrm{d}x. \end{equation*} The polynomials $Q_n^s(x)$ satisfy a four-term recursion. We present in detail an analysis of the fundamental roots and give an answer to an open question on recent work by Adams and Tran--Zumba. We extend a method proposed by Freud for orthogonal polynomials to more general systems of polynomials. We determine the underlying moments and density function for the zero distribution.

In this paper we give a classification of the asymptotic expansion of the $q$-expansion of reciprocals of Eisenstein series $E_k$ of weight $k$ for the modular group $\func{SL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$. For $k \geq 12$ even, this extends results of Hardy and Ramanujan, and Berndt, Bialek and Yee, utilizing the Circle Method on the one hand, and results of Petersson, and Bringmann and Kane, developing a theory of meromorphic Poincar{\'e} series on the other. We follow a uniform approach, based on the zeros of the Eisenstein series with the largest imaginary part. These special zeros provide information on the singularities of the Fourier expansion of $1/E_k(z)$ with respect to $q = e^{2 \pi i z}$.

In this paper we investigate growth properties and the zero distribution of polynomials attached to arithmetic functions $g$ and $h$, where $g$ is normalized, of moderate growth, and $0

Bessenrodt and Ono's work on additive and multiplicative properties of the partition function and DeSalvo and Pak's paper on the log-concavity of the partition function have generated many beautiful theorems and conjectures. In January 2020, the first author gave a lecture at the MPIM in Bonn on a conjecture of Chern--Fu--Tang, and presented an extension (joint work with Neuhauser) involving polynomials. Partial results have been announced. Bringmann, Kane, Rolen and Tripp provided complete proof of the Chern--Fu--Tang conjecture, following advice from Ono to utilize a recently provided exact formula for the fractional partition functions. They also proved a large proportion of Heim--Neuhauser's conjecture, which is the polynomization of Chern--Fu--Tang's conjecture. We prove several cases, not covered by Bringmann et.\ al. Finally, we lay out a general approach for proving the conjecture.

We attach to normalized (non-vanishing) arithmetic functions $g$ and $h$ recursively defined polynomials. Let $P_0^{g,h}(x):=1$. Then \begin{equation} P_n^{g,h}(x) := \frac{x}{h(n)} \sum_{k=1}^{n} g(k) \, P_{n-k}^{g,h}(x). \end{equation} For special $g$ and $h$, we obtain the D'Arcais polynomials, which are equal to the coefficients of the $-z$th powers of the Dedekind $\eta$-function and are also given by Nekrasov and Okounkov as a hook length formula. Examples are offered by Pochhammer polynomials, Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind, and associated Laguerre polynomials. We present explicit formulas and identities for the coefficients of $P_n^{g,h}(x)$ which separate the impact of $g$ and $h$. Finally, we provide several applications., Comment: Updated Version

Horizontal and vertical generating functions and recursion relations have been investigated by Comtet for triangular double sequences. In this paper we investigate the horizontal and vertical log-concavity of triangular sequences assigned to polynomials which show up in combinatorics, number theory and physics. This includes Laguerre polynomials, the Pochhammer polynomials, the D'Arcais and Nekrasov--Okounkov polynomials., Comment: To appear in the Research in Number Theory

In this paper we investigate the generalization of the Bessenrodt--Ono inequality by following Gian-Carlo Rota's advice in studying problems in combinatorics and number theory in terms of roots of polynomials. We consider the number of $k$-colored partitions of $n$ as special values of polynomials $P_n(x)$. We prove for all real numbers $x >2 $ and $a,b \in \mathbb{N}$ with $a+b >2$ the inequality \begin{equation*} P_a(x) \, \cdot \, P_b(x) > P_{a+b}(x). \end{equation*} We show that $P_n(x) < P_{n+1}(x)$ for $x \geq 1$, which generalizes $p(n) < p(n+1)$, where $p(n)$ denotes the partition function. Finally, we observe for small values, the opposite can be true since for example: $P_2(-3+ \sqrt{10}) = P_{3}(-3 + \sqrt{10})$.

The Nekrasov--Okounkov hook length formula provides a fundamental link between the theory of partitions and the coefficients of powers of the Dedekind eta function. In this paper we examine three conjectures presented by Amdeberhan. The first conjecture is a refined Nekrasov--Okounkov formula involving hooks with trivial legs. We prove the conjecture. The second conjecture is on properties of the roots of the underlying D'Arcais polynomials. We give a counterexample and present a new conjecture. The third conjecture is on the unimodality of the coefficients of the involved polynomials. We confirm the conjecture up to the polynomial degree $1000$.

In this paper we significantly extend Serre's table on the vanishing properties of Fourier coefficients of odd powers of the Dedekind eta function. We address several conjectures of Cohen and Str\"omberg and give a partial answer to a question of Ono. In the even-power case, we extend Lehmer's conjecture on the coefficients of the discriminant function $\Delta$ to all non-CM-forms. All our results are supported with numerical data. For example all Fourier coefficients $a_9(n)$ of the $9$-th power of the Dedekind eta function are non-vanishing for $n \leq 10^{10}$. We also relate the non-vanishing of the Fourier coefficients of $\Delta^2$ to Maeda's conjecture., Comment: 13 pages

Let $G$ be a finitely generated group and $X$ its Cayley graph with respect to a finite, symmetric generating set $S$. Furthermore, let $H$ be a finite group and $H \wr G$ the lamplighter group (wreath product) over $G$ with group of "lamps" $H$. We show that the spectral measure (Plancherel measure) of any symmetric "switch--walk--switch" random walk on $H \wr G$ coincides with the expected spectral measure (integrated density of states) of the random walk with absorbing boundary on the cluster of the group identity for Bernoulli site percolation on $X$ with parameter $p = 1/|H|$. The return probabilities of the lamplighter random walk coincide with the expected (annealed) return probabilites on the percolation cluster. In particular, if the clusters of percolation with parameter $p$ are almost surely finite then the spectrum of the lamplighter group is pure point. This generalizes results of Grigorchuk and Zuk, resp. Dicks and Schick regarding the case when $G$ is infinite cyclic. Analogous results relate bond percolation with another lamplighter random walk. In general, the integrated density of states of site (or bond) percolation with arbitrary parameter $p$ is always related with the Plancherel measure of a convolution operator by a signed measure on $H \wr G$, where $H = Z$ or another suitable group., Comment: minor corrections, a somewhat shortened version to appear in Math Ann

Let T_1,..., T_d be homogeneous trees with degrees q_1+1,..., q_d+1>=3, respectively. For each tree, let h:T_j->Z be the Busemann function with respect to a fixed boundary point (end). Its level sets are the horocycles. The horocyclic product of T_1,...,T_d is the graph DL(q_1,...,q_d) consisting of all d-tuples x_1...x_d in T_1x...xT_d with h(x_1)+...+h(x_d)=0, equipped with a natural neighbourhood relation. In the present paper, we explore the geometric, algebraic, analytic and probabilistic properties of these graphs and their isometry groups. If d=2 and q_1=q_2=q then we obtain a Cayley graph of the lamplighter group (wreath product) (Z/qZ) wr Z. If d=3 and q_1=q_2=q_3=q then DL is the Cayley graph of a finitely presented group into which the lamplighter group embeds naturally. Also when d>=4 and q_1=...=q_d=q is such that each prime power in the decomposition of q is larger than d-1, we show that DL is a Cayley graph of a finitely presented group. This group is of type F_{d-1}, but not F_d. It is not automatic, but it is an automata group in most cases. On the other hand, when the q_j do not all coincide, DL(q_1,...,q_d) is a vertex-transitive graph, but is not the Cayley graph of a finitely generated group. Indeed, it does not even admit a group action with finitely many orbits and finite point stabilizers. The l^2-spectrum of the ``simple random walk'' operator on DL is always pure point. When d=2, it is known explicitly from previous work, while for d=3 we compute it explicitly. Finally, we determine the Poisson boundary of a large class of group-invariant random walks on DL. It coincides with a part of the geometric boundary of DL., Comment: 41 pages with a few figures in PicTeX