Alternating formulas for K-theoretic quiver polynomials

Abstract

The main theorem here is the K-theoretic analogue of the cohomological `stable double component formula' for quiver functions in [Knutson, Miller, and Shimozono, math.AG/0308142]. This K-theoretic version is still in terms of lacing diagrams, but nonminimal diagrams contribute terms of higher degree. The motivating consequence is a conjecture of A. Buch on the sign-alternation of the coefficients appearing in his expansion of quiver K-polynomials in terms of stable Grothendieck polynomials for partitions [Buch, math.AG/0104029].