Exact results for perturbation to total positivity and to total nonsingularity

A study of the maximum number of equal entries in totally positive and totally nonsingular m-by-n, matrices for small values of m and n, is presented. Equal entries correspond to entries of the totally nonnegative matrix J that are not changed in producing a TP or TNS matrix. It is shown that the maximum number of equal entries in a 7-by-7 totally positive matrix is strictly smaller than that for a 7-by-7 totally non-singular matrix, but, this is the first pair (m; n) for which these maximum numbers differ. Using point-line geometry in the projective plane, a family of values for (m; n) for which these maximum numbers differ is presented. Generalization to the Hadamard core, as well as larger projective planes is also established. Finally, the relationship with C4 free graphs, along with a method for producing symmetric TP matrices with maximal symmetric arrangements of equal entries is discussed.

Path tableaux and combinatorial interpretations of immanants for class functions on $S_n$

International audience Let $χ ^λ$ be the irreducible $S_n$-character corresponding to the partition $λ$ of $n$, equivalently, the preimage of the Schur function $s_λ$ under the Frobenius characteristic map. Let $\phi ^λ$ be the function $S_n →ℂ$ which is the preimage of the monomial symmetric function $m_λ$ under the Frobenius characteristic map. The irreducible character immanant $Imm_λ {(x)} = ∑_w ∈S_n χ ^λ (w) x_1,w_1 ⋯x_n,w_n$ evaluates nonnegatively on each totally nonnegative matrix $A$. We provide a combinatorial interpretation for the value $Imm_λ (A)$ in the case that $λ$ is a hook partition. The monomial immanant $Imm_{{\phi} ^λ} (x) = ∑_w ∈S_n φ ^λ (w) x_1,w_1 ⋯x_n,w_n$ is conjectured to evaluate nonnegatively on each totally nonnegative matrix $A$. We confirm this conjecture in the case that $λ$ is a two-column partition by providing a combinatorial interpretation for the value $Imm_{{\phi} ^λ} (A)$. Soit $χ ^λ$ le caractère irréductible de $S_n$ qui correspond à la partition λ de l'entier n, ou de manière équivalente, la préimage de la fonction de Schur $s_λ$ par l'application caractéristique de Frobenius. Soit $\phi ^λ$ la fonction $S_n →ℂ$ qui est la préimage de la fonction symétrique monomiale m_λ . La valeur du caractère irréductible immanent $Imm_λ {(x)} = ∑_w ∈S_n χ ^λ (w) x_1,w_1 ⋯x_n,w_n$ est non négative pour chaque matrice totalement non négative. Nous donnons une interprétation combinatoire de la valeur $Imm_λ (A)$ lorsque $λ$ est une partition en équerre. Stembridge a conjecturé que la valeur de l'immanent monomial $Imm_{{\phi} ^λ} (x) = ∑_w ∈S_n φ ^λ (w) x_1,w_1 ⋯x_n,w_n$ de $\phi ^λ$ est elle aussi non négative pour chaque matrice totalement non négative. Nous confirmons cette conjecture quand λ satisfait $λ _1 ≤2$, et nous donnons une interprétation combinatoire de $Imm_{{\phi} ^λ} (A)$ dans ce cas.