Conjecture on Hankel determinants of Motzkin convolution powers when the exponent is divisible by 3

From papers

Let M(x)=n0MnxnM(x)=\sum_{n\geq 0}M_nx^n be the generating function of the Motzkin numbers, let F(x,r)=M(x)rF(x,r)=M(x)^r, and write Hn(F(x,r))H_n(F(x,r)) for the Hankel determinant of the coefficients of F(x,r)F(x,r). For r0(mod3)r\equiv 0\pmod 3, the conjecture asserts

Hrn(F(x,r))=Hrn+1(F(x,r))=(1)n(n+1)r1.H_{rn}(F(x,r))=H_{rn+1}(F(x,r))=(-1)^n(n+1)^{r-1}. Hrn+2(F(x,r))+Hrn1(F(x,r))=32α(n+1)r1,H_{rn+2}(F(x,r))+H_{rn-1}(F(x,r))=3^2\alpha(n+1)^{r-1},

where α=118r(r3)|\alpha|=\frac{1}{18}r(r-3). These formulas extend the explicit patterns observed for small convolution powers and predict a structured form for the Hankel determinants when the exponent is a multiple of 33.

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Primary source

Ying Wang and Yingrui Zhang, “Hankel determinants for convolution powers of Motzkin numbers”, arXiv:2502.21050 (2025).

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