Schubert Polynomials and Elementary Symmetric Products

Abstract

We study the factorization of Schubert polynomials into elementary symmetric polynomials. We conjecture that this occurs when the permutation corresponding to the Schubert polynomial does not contain the patterns $1432$, $1423$, $4132$, and $3142$. We prove one direction of this and provide progress towards the second direction, including obstructions arising from permutations with a rectangular array of crosses in their bottom pipe dream. This characterization helps us identify new ties between elementary symmetric polynomials and Schubert polynomials. It contributes to the broader understanding of pattern avoidance phenomena in algebraic combinatorics.