Cyclotomic factors of necklace polynomials


Abstract in English

We observe that the necklace polynomials $M_d(x) = frac{1}{d}sum_{emid d}mu(e)x^{d/e}$ are highly reducible over $mathbb{Q}$ with many cyclotomic factors. Furthermore, the sequence $Phi_d(x) - 1$ of shifted cyclotomic polynomials exhibits a qualitatively similar phenomenon, and it is often the case that $M_d(x)$ and $Phi_d(x) - 1$ have many common cyclotomic factors. We explain these cyclotomic factors of $M_d(x)$ and $Phi_d(x) - 1$ in terms of what we call the emph{$d$th necklace operator}. Finally, we show how these cyclotomic factors correspond to certain hyperplane arrangements in finite abelian groups.

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