Asymptotics of principal evaluations of Schubert polynomials for layered permutations

Abstract: Denote by $u(n)$ the largest principal specialization of the Schubert polynomial: $ u(n) := \max_{w \in S_n} \mathfrak{S}w(1,\ldots,1) $ Stanley conjectured in [arXiv:1704.00851] that there is a limit $\lim{n\to \infty} \, \frac{1}{n^2} \log u(n), $ and asked for a limiting description of permutations achieving the maximum $u(n)$. Merzon and Smirnov conjectured in [arXiv:1410.6857] that this maximum is achieved on layered permutations. We resolve both Stanley's problems restricted to layered permutations.