k-shape poset and branching of k-Schur functions

We give a combinatorial expansion of a Schubert homology class in the affine Grassmannian Gr_{SL_k} into Schubert homology classes in Gr_{SL_{k+1}}. This is achieved by studying the combinatorics of a new class of partitions called k-shapes, which interpolates between k-cores and k+1-cores. We define a symmetric function for each k-shape, and show that they expand positively in terms of dual k-Schur functions. We obtain an explicit combinatorial description of the expansion of an ungraded k-Schur function into k+1-Schur functions. As a corollary, we give a formula for the Schur expansion of an ungraded k-Schur function.