The centers of spin symmetric group algebras and Catalan numbers

Abstract

Generalizing the work of Farahat-Higman on symmetric groups, we describe the structures of the even centers Z_n of integral spin symmetric group superalgebras, which lead to universal algebras termed as the spin FH-algebras. A connection between the odd Jucys-Murphy elements and the Catalan numbers is developed and then used to determine the algebra generators of the spin FH-algebras and of the even centers Z_n.