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Multivariable Tangent and Secant q-derivative Polynomials

The derivative polynomials introduced by Knuth and Buckholtz in their calculations of the tangent and secant numbers are extended to a multivariable $q$--environment. The $n$-th $q$-derivatives of the classical $q$-tangent and $q$-secant are each given two polynomial expressions. The first polynomial expression is indexed by triples of integers, the second by compositions of integers. The functional relation between those two classes is fully given by means of combinatorial techniques. Moreover, those polynomials are proved to be generating functions for so-called $t$-permutations by multivariable statistics. By giving special values to those polynomials we recover classical $q$-polynomials such as the Carlitz $q$-Eulerian polynomials and the $(t,q)$-tangent and -secant analogs recently introduced. They also provide $q$-analogs for the Springer numbers. Finally, the $t$-compositions used in this paper furnish a combinatorial interpretation to one of the Fibonacci triangles.