Restriction coefficients for partitions with at most three columns

Abstract

Let $r \geq 0$, and let $\lambda$ and $\mu$ be partitions such that $\lambda_1 \leq r + 1$. We present a combinatorial interpretation of the plethysm coefficient $\langle s_\lambda, s_\mu[s_r] \rangle$. As a consequence, we solve the restriction problem for partitions with at most three columns. That is, for all partitions $\lambda$ with $\lambda_1 \leq 3$, we find a combinatorial interpretation for the multiplicities of the irreducible $\mathfrak{S}_n$-submodules of the Schur module $\mathbb{S}^\lambda \mathbb{C}^n$, considered as an $\mathfrak{S}_n$-module.