Counting self-conjugate (s,s+1,s+2)-core partitions

Abstract

We are concerned with counting self-conjugate $(s,s+1,s+2)$-core partitions. A Motzkin path of length $n$ is a path from $(0,0)$ to $(n,0)$ which stays above the $x$-axis and consists of the up $U=(1,1)$, down $D=(1,-1)$, and flat $F=(1,0)$ steps. We say that a Motzkin path of length $n$ is symmetric if its reflection about the line $x=n/2$ is itself. In this paper, we show that the number of self-conjugate $(s,s+1,s+2)$-cores is equal to the number of symmetric Motzkin paths of length $s$, and give a closed formula for this number.