OIST Representation Theory Seminar

Speaker: Mark Wildon, Royal Holloway, University of London

Title: Plethysms, polynomial representations of linear groups and Hermite reciprocity over an arbitrary field

Abstract: Let \(E\) be a \(2\)-dimensional vector space. Over the complex numbers the irreducible polynomial representations of the special linear group \(SL(E)\) are the symmetric powers \(Sym^r E\). Composing polynomial representations, for example to form \(Sym^4 Sym^2 E\), corresponds to the plethysm product on symmetric functions. Expressing such a plethysm as a linear combination of Schur functions has been identified by Richard Stanley as one of the fundamental open problems in algebraic combinatorics. In my talk I will use symmetric functions to prove some classical isomorphisms, such as Hermite reciprocity \(Sym^m Sym^r E \cong Sym^r Sym^m E\), and some others discovered only recently in joint work with Rowena Paget. I will then give an overview of new results showing that, provided suitable dualities are introduced, Hermite reciprocity holds over arbitrary fields; certain other isomorphisms (we can prove) have no modular generalization. The final part is joint work with my Ph.D student Eoghan McDowell.

Zoom info can be found on the seminar webpage.