arXiv subjects

Colin Defant

Publications and source records attributed to Colin Defant.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Proof of the Lyons--White Conjecture

Let $D_n$ be the dihedral group of order $2n$. Consider a continuous-time random walk on $D_n$ driven by arbitrary symmetric rates whose support generates $D_n$. For $p\in[1,\infty]$, we say the pair $(D_n,p)$ is rate-monotonic if for each fixed time $t$, the $\ell^p$-distance between the random walk's distribution at time $t$ and the uniform distribution is monotonically decreasing as a function of the rates. Lyons and White proved that $(D_n,2)$ and $(D_n,\infty)$ are rate-monotonic. Somewhat counterintuitively, they found several pairs $(D_n,p)$ with ${p\in[1,1.997]\cup[2.001,3.999]\cup[4.001,5.995]}$ that are not rate-monotonic, and they asked whether any such pairs exist with $p=4$ or $p=6$. We resolve their question, proving that $(D_n,2m)$ is rate-monotonic for all positive integers $m$ and $n$. In fact, we prove a generalization of this result to a broader family of groups that includes generalized dihedral groups, dicyclic groups, and generalized quaternion groups. In the other direction, we prove that for every real $p\geq 1$ that is not an even integer, there exists a positive integer $n$ such that $(D_n,p)$ is not rate-monotonic. The results of this paper were formally verified in Lean by AxiomProver assuming standard literature.

math.PR↗

arXiv2026

Zero-free columns in character tables of symmetric groups

The rows and columns of the character table of the symmetric group $S_n$ are both naturally indexed by partitions of $n$. Let $D(n)$ denote the number of conjugacy classes of $S_n$ whose column contains no zero entry. The identity column is always zero-free, so $D(n)\geq 1$. It is known that $D(n)\ll n^2$. We prove that $D(n)\ll n^{3/4}$. Second, we prove for almost all positive integers $n$ that $D(n)\ll_B n^{1/2}(\log n)^B$ for every $B>5/6$, with a quantitative bound for the exceptional set, using work of Matom\"aki and Radziwill. Finally, we offer a heuristic supporting our conjecture that $D(n)\ll_{\varepsilon} n^{\varepsilon}$. AxiomProver formalized the results in this paper in Lean assuming preexisting literature.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Noncrossing Combinatorics, the Full Twist, and Decategorification of Knot Invariants

Much work in knot theory has consisted of categorifying, and thereby strengthening, knot invariants. We take the opposite approach: decategorification, more commonly called combinatorics. We introduce a technique that relates the dual braid group generators, the Hecke images of pure braids, and factorization problems in reflection groups to knot invariants. We prove that the $(a,z{=}0)$-HOMFLYPT polynomial can be computed as a solution to such a problem. This technique was motivated by Coxeter--Catalan combinatorics. For example, we give a new proof of EL-shellability of the noncrossing partition lattice using the image of the full twist in the Hecke algebra; in a surprising sort of combinatorial reciprocity, its inverse computes the homotopy type. Similarly, noncrossing partitions naturally arise from our construction applied to positive powers of the full twist, while cluster complexes come from the same construction applied to negative powers. In crystallographic type, we exploit the conjugacy of all Coxeter elements to give the first reflection subword models for rational noncrossing Catalan objects. Our reciprocity gives two models: one generalizing noncrossing partitions, and one generalizing clusters. Applying the same method produces two (rational) noncrossing parking models.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Short Proofs in Algebraic and Enumerative Combinatorics

We present several short proofs that resolve open problems from the algebraic and enumerative combinatorics literature. First, we consider the echelonmotion operator on modular lattices. We resolve a conjecture of Defant, Jiang, Marczinzik, Segovia, Speyer, Thomas, and Williams and, consequently, obtain a new algebraic bijective proof of a classical result of Dilworth. Second, we consider statistics on parking functions studied by Stanley and Yin and by Hopkins. We prove some conjectures of Hopkins. Third, we consider centralizers in the plactic monoid. We settle two conjectures of Sagan and Wilson. All of these proofs were obtained autonomously by ChatGPT 5.4 Pro.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Weak Order on the MacNeille Completion of Bruhat Order

Let $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$ be the MacNeille completion of the Bruhat order of a Coxeter group $W$. We introduce an action of the $0$-Hecke monoid of type $W$ on $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$, which allows us to define a weak order and a descent set statistic on $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$. When $W$ is of type $A$, we recover constructions of Hamaker and Reiner, which were originally formulated in terms of monotone triangles and alternating sign matrices. Using this action, we prove that certain unions of Knutson--Miller subword complexes are vertex-decomposable. By specializing to type $A$, we prove a conjecture of Escobar, Klein, and Weigandt regarding Cohen--Macaulay ASM varieties. Along the way, we also exhibit a counterexample to a conjecture of Hamaker and Reiner regarding the poset topology of intervals in the ASM weak order. When $W$ is finite, our action also gives rise to a Boolean cell complex with one facet for each element of $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$. We prove that this is an abstract simplicial complex and that every linear extension of the weak order on $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$ is a shelling order for its facets. Finally, when $W$ is finite and irreducible, we use our $0$-Hecke action to introduce a noninvertible dynamical system on $\mathrm{Mac}(W)$ that we call the \emph{MacNeille pop-stack operator}, and we prove that the maximum number of iterations of this operator needed to reach the bottom state is $h-1$, where $h$ is the Coxeter number of $W$. This article is meant to serve as a case study in using large language models to automate the workflow of mathematical research. The proof of the conjecture of Escobar--Klein--Weigandt and the disproof of the conjecture of Hamaker--Reiner were obtained autonomously by ChatGPT 5.4 Pro. Other aspects of the paper were obtained mostly by the author, but ChatGPT expedited the process. We provide a detailed account of this interaction.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

Sets with Few Subset Sums

It is a classical fact that every $n$-element set of positive reals has at least $\binom{n+1}{2}+1$ distinct subset sums, with equality exactly for homogeneous arithmetic progressions (when $n\geq 4$). We establish stability versions of this inverse theorem in two regimes. First, for any parameter $M \leq n-4$, we precisely characterize the $n$-element sets of positive reals with at most $\binom{n+1}{2}+1+M$ subset sums. Second, for any constant $C$, we provide a characterization, sharp up to constants, of the $n$-element sets of positive reals with at most $Cn^2$ distinct subset sums. Along the way, we constrain (for any fixed $d \geq 2$) the structure of $n$-element subsets of $\mathbb{R}^d$ with $o(n^{d+1})$ subset sums.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

On the number of permutation-twisted dot products

Let $\mathbb{K}$ be a field of characteristic $0$. For each choice of distinct $a_1, \ldots, a_n\in \mathbb{K}$ and distinct $b_1, \ldots, b_n\in \mathbb{K}$, consider the sum $S=\sum_{i=1}^n a_i b_{\pi(i)}$ as $\pi$ ranges over the permutations of $[n]$. We show that this sum always assumes at least $\Omega(n^3)$ distinct values. This ``support'' bound, which is optimal up to the value of the implicit constant, complements recent work of Do, Nguyen, Phan, Tran, and Vu, and of Hunter, Pohoata, and Zhu on the anticoncentration properties of $S$ when $a_1,\ldots,a_n,b_1,\ldots,b_n$ are real and $\pi$ is chosen uniformly at random.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

The Minary Primitive of Computational Autopoiesis

We introduce Minary, a computational framework designed as a candidate for the first formally provable autopoietic primitive. Minary represents interacting probabilistic events as multi-dimensional vectors and combines them via linear superposition rather than multiplicative scalar operations, thereby preserving uncertainty and enabling constructive and destructive interference in the range $[-1,1]$. A fixed set of ``perspectives'' evaluates ``semantic dimensions'' according to hidden competencies, and their interactions drive two discrete-time stochastic processes. We model this system as an iterated random affine map and use the theory of iterated random functions to prove that it converges in distribution to a unique stationary law; we moreover obtain an explicit closed form for the limiting expectation in terms of row, column, and global averages of the competency matrix. We then derive exact formulas for the mean and variance of the normalized consensus conditioned on the activation of a given semantic dimension, revealing how consensus depends on competency structure rather than raw input signals. Finally, we argue that Minary is organizationally closed yet operationally open in the sense of Maturana and Varela, and we discuss implications for building self-maintaining, distributed, and parallelizable computational systems that house a uniquely subjective notion of identity.

math.DS↗

arXiv2025

Permutahedron Triangulations via Total Linear Stability and the Dual Braid Group

For each finite Coxeter group $W$ and each standard Coxeter element of $W$, we construct a triangulation of the $W$-permutahedron. For particular realizations of the $W$-permutahedron, we show that this is a regular triangulation induced by a height function coming from the theory of total linear stability for Dynkin quivers. We also explore several notable combinatorial properties of these triangulations that relate the Bruhat order, the noncrossing partition lattice, and Cambrian congruences. Each triangulation gives an explicit mechanism for relating two different presentations of the corresponding braid group (the standard Artin presentation and Bessis's dual presentation). This is a step toward uniformly proving conjectural simple, explicit, and type-uniform presentations for the corresponding pure braid group.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Extended Weak Order for the Rank 3 Universal Coxeter Group

The weak order is a classical poset structure on a Coxeter group; it is a lattice when the group is finite but merely a meet-semilattice when the group is infinite. Motivated by problems in Kazhdan--Lusztig theory, Matthew Dyer introduced the extended weak order, a poset that contains a copy of the weak order as an order ideal, and he conjectured that the extended weak order for any Coxeter group is a lattice. We prove Dyer's conjecture for the rank $3$ universal Coxeter group. This is the first non-spherical, non-affine Coxeter group for which Dyer's conjecture has been proven.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Rowmotion and Echelonmotion

Given a linear extension $\sigma$ of a finite poset $R$, we consider the permutation matrix indexing the Schubert cell containing the Cartan matrix of $R$ with respect to $\sigma$. This yields a bijection $\mathrm{Ech}_\sigma\colon R\to R$ that we call echelonmotion; it is the inverse of the Coxeter permutation studied by Kl\'asz, Marczinzik, and Thomas. Those authors proved that echelonmotion agrees with rowmotion when $R$ is a distributive lattice. We generalize this result to semidistributive lattices. In addition, we prove that every trim lattice has a linear extension with respect to which echelonmotion agrees with rowmotion. We also show that echelonmotion on an Eulerian poset (with respect to any linear extension) is an involution. Finally, we initiate the study of echelon-independent posets, which are posets for which echelonmotion is independent of the chosen linear extension. We prove that a lattice is echelon-independent if and only if it is semidistributive. Moreover, we show that echelon-independent connected posets are bounded and have semidistributive MacNeille completions.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Chute Move Posets are Lattices

For each permutation $w$, we consider the set $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ of reduced pipe dreams for $w$, partially ordered so that cover relations correspond to (generalized) chute moves. Settling a conjecture of Rubey from 2012, we prove that $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ is a lattice. To establish this result, we provide a global description of the partial order on $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ by showing that $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ is isomorphic to a poset consisting of objects called Lehmer tableaux. In addition, we prove that $\mathrm{PD}(w)$ is a semidistributive polygonal lattice whose polygons are all diamonds or pentagons.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Permutons from Demazure Products

We construct and analyze several new families of permutons arising from random processes involving the Demazure product on the symmetric group. First, we consider Demazure products associated to random pipe dreams, generalizing the Grothendieck permutons introduced by Morales, Panova, Petrov, and Yeliussizov by replacing staircase shapes with arbitrary order-convex shapes. Using the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) with geometric jumps, we prove precise scaling limit and fluctuation results for the associated height functions, showing that these models belong to the Kardar--Parisi--Zhang (KPZ) universality class. We then consider permutons obtained by applying deterministic sequences of bubble-sort operators to random initial permutations. We again provide precise descriptions of the limiting permutons. In a special case, we deduce the exact forms of the standard bubble-sort permutons, the supports of which were computed by DiFranco. A crucial tool in our analysis is a formulation, due to Chan and Pflueger, of the Demazure product as matrix multiplication in the min-plus tropical semiring. This allows us to define a Demazure product on the set of permutons. We discuss further applications of this product. For instance, we show that the number of inversions of the Demazure product of two independent uniformly random permutations of size $n$ is $\binom{n}{2}(1-o(1))$.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

Reduced Random Walks in the Hyperbolic Plane$\hspace{1pt}!\hspace{-3.8pt}?$

We study Lam's reduced random walk in a hyperbolic triangle group, which we view as a random walk in the upper half-plane. We prove that this walk converges almost surely to a point on the extended real line. We devote special attention to the reduced random walk in $PGL_2(\mathbb{Z})$ (i.e., the $(2,3,\infty)$ triangle group). In this case, we provide an explicit formula for the cumulative distribution function of the limit. This formula is written in terms of the interrobang function, a new function $!\hspace{-3.8pt}?\colon[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}$ that shares several of the remarkable analytic and arithmetic properties of Minkowski's question-mark function.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

The Affine Tamari Lattice

Given a fixed integer $n\geq 2$, we construct two new finite lattices that we call the cyclic Tamari lattice and the affine Tamari lattice. The cyclic Tamari lattice is a sublattice and a quotient lattice of the cyclic Dyer lattice, which is the infinite lattice of translation-invariant total orders under containment of inversion sets. The affine Tamari lattice is a quotient of the Dyer lattice, which in turn is a quotient of the cyclic Dyer lattice and is isomorphic to the collection of biclosed sets of the root system of type $\widetilde{A}_{n-1}$ under inclusion. We provide numerous combinatorial and algebraic descriptions of these lattices using translation-invariant total orders, translation-invariant binary in-ordered trees, noncrossing arc diagrams, torsion classes, triangulations, and translation-invariant noncrossing partitions. The cardinalities of the cyclic and affine Tamari lattices are the Catalan numbers of types $B_n$ and $D_n$, respectively. We show that these lattices are self-dual and semidistributive, and we describe their decompositions coming from the Fundamental Theorem of Finite Semidistributive Lattices. We also show that the rowmotion operators on these lattices have well-behaved orbit structures, which we describe via the cyclic sieving phenomenon. Our new combinatorial framework allows us to prove that the lengths of maximal green sequences for the completed path algebra of the oriented $n$-cycle are precisely the integers in the interval $[2n-1,\binom{n+1}{2}]$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Homology in Combinatorial Refraction Billiards

Given a graph $G$ with vertex set $\{1,\ldots,n\}$, we can project the graphical arrangement of $G$ to an $(n-1)$-dimensional torus to obtain a toric hyperplane arrangement. Adams, Defant, and Striker constructed a toric combinatorial refraction billiard system in which beams of light travel in the torus, refracting (with refraction coefficient $-1$) whenever they hit one of the toric hyperplanes in this toric arrangement. Each billiard trajectory in this system is periodic. We adopt a topological perspective and view the billiard trajectories as closed loops in the torus. We say $G$ is ensnaring if all of the billiard trajectories are contractible, and we say $G$ is expelling if none of the billiard trajectories is contractible. Our first main result states that a graph is expelling if and only if it is bipartite. We then provide several necessary conditions and several sufficient conditions for a graph to be ensnaring. For example, we show that the complement of an ensnaring graph cannot have a clique as a connected component. We also discuss ways to construct ensnaring graphs from other ensnaring graphs. For example, gluing two ensnaring graphs at a single vertex always yields another ensnaring graph.

math.CO↗

arXiv2025

Random Subwords and Billiard Walks in Affine Weyl Groups

Let $W$ be an irreducible affine Weyl group, and let $\mathsf{b}$ be a finite word over the alphabet of simple reflections of $W$. Fix a probability $p\in(0,1)$. For each integer $K\geq 0$, let $\mathsf{sub}_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$ be the random subword of $\mathsf{b}^K$ obtained by deleting each letter independently with probability $1-p$. Let $v_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$ be the element of $W$ represented by $\mathsf{sub}_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$. One can view $v_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$ geometrically as a random alcove; in many cases, this alcove can be seen as the location after a certain amount of time of a random billiard trajectory that, upon hitting a hyperplane in the Coxeter arrangement of $W$, reflects off of the hyperplane with probability $1-p$. We show that the asymptotic distribution of $v_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$ is a central spherical multivariate normal distribution with some variance $\sigma_{\mathsf{b}}^2$ depending on $\mathsf{b}$ and $p$. We provide a formula to compute $\sigma_{\mathsf{b}}^2$ that is remarkably simple when $\mathsf{b}$ contains only one occurrence of the simple reflection that is not in the associated finite Weyl group. As a corollary, we provide an asymptotic formula for $\mathbb{E}[\ell(v_p(\mathsf{b}^K))]$, the expected Coxeter length of $v_p(\mathsf{b}^K)$. For example, when $W=\widetilde A_{r}$ and $\mathsf{b}$ contains each simple reflection exactly once, we find that \[\lim_{K\to\infty}\frac{1}{\sqrt{K}}\mathbb{E}[\ell(v_p(\mathsf{b}^K))]=\sqrt{\frac{2}{\pi}r(r+1)\frac{p}{1-p}}.\]

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

The Pop-Stack Operator on Ornamentation Lattices

Each rooted plane tree $\mathsf{T}$ has an associated ornamentation lattice $\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})$. The ornamentation lattice of an $n$-element chain is the $n$-th Tamari lattice. We study the pop-stack operator $\mathsf{Pop}\colon\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})\to\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})$, which sends each element $\delta$ to the meet of the elements covered by or equal to $\delta$. We compute the maximum size of a forward orbit of $\mathsf{Pop}$ on $\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})$, generalizing a result of Defant for Tamari lattices. We also characterize the image of $\mathsf{Pop}$ on $\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})$, generalizing a result of Hong for Tamari lattices. For each integer $k\geq 0$, we provide necessary conditions for an element of $\mathcal{O}(\mathsf{T})$ to be in the image of $\mathsf{Pop}^k$. This allows us to completely characterize the image of $\mathsf{Pop}^k$ on a Tamari lattice.

math.CO↗