A proof of the $q$-Foulkes conjecture for Gaussian coefficients when $a$ divides $c$

Abstract

Foulkes' conjecture has several generalisations due to Doran, Abdesselam--Chipalkatti, Bergeron, and Troyka. For the special linear Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}_2(\mathbb{C})$, these assert that given $a \le c \le d \le b$ with $ab=cd$, the $\mathfrak{sl}_2(\mathbb{C})$-representation $\mathrm{Sym}^a\mathrm{Sym}^b\mathbb{C}^2$ is a subrepresentation of $\mathrm{Sym}^c\mathrm{Sym}^d\mathbb{C}^2$. We present a short proof in the case where $a$ divides $c$ or $d$, which includes all prime values of $a$. This is the first proof in this family of conjectures valid for infinitely many values of $a$; previously only the cases $a=2$ and $a=3$ were known.