We discuss the representation theory of $H_f$, which is a deformation of the symplectic oscillator algebra $sp(2n) \ltimes h_n$, where $h_n$ is the ((2n+1)-dimensional) Heisenberg algebra. We first look at a more general setup, involving an algebra with a triangular decomposition. Assuming the PBW theorem, and one other hypothesis, we show that the BGG category $\mathcal{O}$ is abelian, finite length, and self-dual. We decompose $\mathcal{O}$ as a direct sum of blocks $\calo(\la)$, and show that each block is a highest weight category. In the second part, we focus on the case $H_f$ for $n=1$, where we prove all these assumptions, as well as the PBW theorem.Comment: 42 pages, LaTeX, 11pt; Typos removed, references added, presentation improved, minor corrections and additions, Section 16 modified, and Standing Assumption added in Section 17; Final form, to appear in the Journal of Pure and Applied Algebr

Abstract. A classical theorem proved in 1942 by I.J. Schoenberg describes all realvalued functions that preserve positivity when applied entrywise to positive semidefinite matrices of arbitrary size; such functions are necessarily analytic with nonnegative Taylor coefficients. Despite the great deal of interest generated by this theorem, a characterization of functions preserving positivity for matrices of fixed dimension is not known.In this paper, we provide a complete description of polynomials of degree N that preserve positivity when applied entrywise to matrices of dimension N . This is the key step for us then to obtain negative lower bounds on the coefficients of analytic functions so that these functions preserve positivity in a prescribed dimension. The proof of the main technical inequality is representation theoretic, and employs the theory of Schur polynomials. Interpreted in the context of linear pencils of matrices, our main results provide a closed-form expression for the lowest critical value, revealing at the same time an unexpected spectral discontinuity phenomenon.Tight linear matrix inequalities for Hadamard powers of matrices and a sharp asymptotic bound for the matrix-cube problem involving Hadamard powers are obtained as applications. Positivity preservers are also naturally interpreted as solutions of a variational inequality involving generalized Rayleigh quotients. This optimization approach leads to a novel description of the simultaneous kernels of Hadamard powers, and a family of stratifications of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices.

We introduce new families of combinatorial objects whose enumeration computes volumes of flow polytopes. These objects provide an interpretation, based on parking functions, of Baldoni and Vergne's generalization of a volume formula originally due to Lidskii. We recover known flow polytope volume formulas and prove new volume formulas for flow polytopes. A highlight of our model is an elegant formula for the flow polytope of a graph we call the caracol graph.As by-products of our work, we uncover a new triangle of numbers that interpolates between Catalan numbers and the number of parking functions, we prove the log-concavity of rows of this triangle along with other sequences derived from volume computations, and we introduce a new Ehrhart-like polynomial for flow polytope volume and conjecture product formulas for the polytopes we consider.Dedicated to the memory of Griff L. Bilbro.

Entrywise powers of symmetric matrices preserving positivity, monotonicity or convexity with respect to the Loewner ordering arise in various applications, and have received much attention recently in the literature. Following FitzGerald and Horn [J. Math. Anal. Appl., 1977], it is well-known that there exists a critical exponent beyond which all entrywise powers preserve positive definiteness. Similar phase transition phenomena have also recently been shown by Hiai (2009) to occur for monotonicity and convexity. In this paper, we complete the characterization of all the entrywise powers below and above the critical exponents that are positive, monotone, or convex on the cone of positive semidefinite matrices. We then extend the original problem by fully classifying the positive, monotone, or convex powers in a more general setting where additional rank constraints are imposed on the matrices. We also classify the entrywise powers that are super/sub-additive with respect to the Loewner ordering. Finally, we extend all the previous characterizations to matrices with negative entries. Our analysis consequently allows us to answer a question raised by Bhatia and Elsner (2007) regarding the smallest dimension for which even extensions of the power functions do not preserve Loewner positivity.Date: October 8, 2014. 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. 15B48 (primary); 15A45, 26A48, 26A51 (secondary).

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