On dots in boxes or permutation pattern classes and regular languages [10/03/22]

Abstract

This thesis investigates permutation pattern classes in a language theoretic context. Specifically we explored the regularity of sets of permutations under the rank encoding. We found that the subsets of plus- and minus-(in)decomposable permutations of a regular pattern class under the rank encoding are also regular languages under that encoding. Further we investigated the sets of permutations, which in their block-decomposition have the same simple permutation, and again we found that these sets of permutations are regular languages under the rank encoding. This natural progression from plus- and minus-decomposable to simple decomposable permutations led us further to the set of simple permutations under the rank encoding, which we have also shown to be regular under the rank encoding. This regular language enables us to nd the set of simple permutations of any class, independent of whether the class is regular under the rank encoding. Furthermore the regularity of the languages of some types of classes is discussed. Under the rank encoding we show that in general the skew-sum of classes, separable classes and wreath classes are not regular languages; but that the direct-sum of classes, and with some restrictions on the cardinality of the input classes the skew-sum and wreath sum of classes in fact are regular under this encoding.