Invariant theory for the face algebra of the braid arrangement

The faces of the braid arrangement form a monoid. The associated monoid algebra – the face algebra– is well-studied, especially in relation to card shuffling and other Markov chains. In this paper, we explore the action of the symmetric group on the face algebra from the perspective of invariant theory. Bidigare proved the invariant subalgebra of the face algebra is (anti)isomorphic to Solomon’s descent algebra. We answer the more general question: what is the structure of the face algebra as a simultaneous representation of the symmetric group and Solomon’s descent algebra? Special cases of our main theorem recover the Cartan invariants of Solomon’s descent algebra discovered by Garsia–Reutenauer and work of Uyemura-Reyes on certain shuffling representations. Our proof techniques involve the homology of intervals in the lattice of set partitions.