Power-sum border-strip multiplication ($p_r{s}_{\mu }={\sum }_{\lambda /\mu \text{ rim hook of size }r}(-1{)}^{\mathrm{ht}(\lambda /\mu )}{s}_{\lambda }$)

Multiplication of an alternant by $p_r$ is the sum of alternants obtained by raising one row exponent by $r$. Equal exponents give zero. Otherwise sort the shifted beta number of a partition back into decreasing order. The resulting partition adds a size-$r$ rim hook; the number of crossed exponents is its height and supplies the determinant sign. This proves the formula through the bialternant formula. Iteration counts signed border-strip tableaux.

With $m$ beta numbers, the staircase has set $\{0,2,\dots ,2m-2\}$. Lowering a bead by a positive even number either hits an occupied bead or a negative position, so no even-size rim hook can be removed. The adjoint of multiplication by $p_r$ under the Hall inner product of symmetric functions is $r\partial /\partial p_r$. The power-sum border-strip multiplication formula therefore gives zero derivative with respect to every even power sum. Since the rational symmetric-function algebra is freely generated by the power sums, the stated conclusion follows.