Ordered Bell numbers, Hermite polynomials, Skew Young Tableaux, and Borel orbits

Abstract

We give three interpretations of the number $b$ of orbits of the Borel subgroup of upper triangular matrices on the variety $\ms{X}$ of complete quadrics. First, we show that $b$ is equal to the number of standard Young tableaux on skew-diagrams. Then, we relate $b$ to certain values of a modified Hermite polynomial. Third, we relate $b$ to a certain cell decomposition on $\ms{X}$ previously studied by De Concini, Springer, and Strickland. Using these, we give asymptotic estimates for $b$ as the dimension of the quadrics increases.