Gamma-positivity in combinatorics and geometry

Abstract

Gamma-positivity is an elementary property that polynomials with symmetric coefficients may have, which directly implies their unimodality. The idea behind it stems from work of Foata, Schützenberger and Strehl on the Eulerian polynomials; it was revived independently by Brändén and Gal in the course of their study of poset Eulerian polynomials and face enumeration of flag simplicial spheres, respectively, and has found numerous applications since then. This paper surveys some of the main results and open problems on gamma-positivity, appearing in various combinatorial or geometric contexts, as well as some of the diverse methods that have been used to prove it.