The 6-vertex model and deformations of the Weyl character formula

We use statistical mechanics -- variants of the six-vertex model in the plane studied by means of the Yang-Baxter equation -- to give new deformations of Weyl's character formula for classical groups of Cartan type B, C, and D, and a character formula of Proctor for type BC. In each case, the corresponding Boltzmann weights are associated to the free fermion point of the six-vertex model. These deformations add to the earlier known examples in types A and C by Tokuyama and Hamel-King, respectively. A special case for classical types recovers deformations of the Weyl denominator formula due to Okada.Comment: v2: renamed the last family of models and showed their connection to character formulae for groups of type BC; addressed some issues in the proof of Lemma 6.2; updated abstrac

A Yang-Baxter equation for metaplectic ice

We will give new applications of quantum groups to the study of spherical Whittaker functions on the metaplectic $n$-fold cover of $GL(r,F)$, where $F$ is a nonarchimedean local field. Earlier Brubaker, Bump, Friedberg, Chinta and Gunnells had shown that these Whittaker functions can be identified with the partition functions of statistical mechanical systems. They postulated that a Yang-Baxter equation underlies the properties of these Whittaker functions. We confirm this, and identify the corresponding Yang-Baxter equation with that of the quantum affine Lie superalgebra $U_{\sqrt{v}}(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}(1|n))$, modified by Drinfeld twisting to introduce Gauss sums. (The deformation parameter $v$ is specialized to the inverse of the residue field cardinality.) For principal series representations of metaplectic groups, the Whittaker models are not unique. The scattering matrix for the standard intertwining operators is vector valued. For a simple reflection, it was computed by Kazhdan and Patterson, who applied it to generalized theta series. We will show that the scattering matrix on the space of Whittaker functions for a simple reflection coincides with the twisted $R$-matrix of the quantum group $U_{\sqrt{v}}(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}(n))$. This is a piece of the twisted $R$-matrix for $U_{\sqrt{v}}(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}(1|n))$, mentioned above

Hecke Modules from Metaplectic Ice

We present a new framework for a broad class of affine Hecke algebra modules, and show that such modules arise in a number of settings involving representations of $p$-adic groups and $R$-matrices for quantum groups. Instances of such modules arise from (possibly non-unique) functionals on $p$-adic groups and their metaplectic covers, such as the Whittaker functionals. As a byproduct, we obtain new, algebraic proofs of a number of results concerning metaplectic Whittaker functions. These are thus expressed in terms of metaplectic versions of Demazure operators, which are built out of $R$-matrices of quantum groups depending on the cover degree and associated root system

Vertex operators, solvable lattice models and metaplectic Whittaker functions

We show that spherical Whittaker functions on an $n$-fold cover of the general linear group arise naturally from the quantum Fock space representation of $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}(n))$ introduced by Kashiwara, Miwa and Stern (KMS). We arrive at this connection by reconsidering solvable lattice models known as `metaplectic ice' whose partition functions are metaplectic Whittaker functions. First, we show that a certain Hecke action on metaplectic Whittaker coinvariants agrees (up to twisting) with a Hecke action of Ginzburg, Reshetikhin, and Vasserot. This allows us to expand the framework of KMS by Drinfeld twisting to introduce Gauss sums into the quantum wedge, which are necessary for connections to metaplectic forms. Our main theorem interprets the row transfer matrices of this ice model as `half' vertex operators on quantum Fock space that intertwine with the action of $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}(n))$. In the process, we introduce new symmetric functions termed \textit{metaplectic symmetric functions} and explain how they relate to Whittaker functions on an $n$-fold metaplectic cover of GL$_r$. These resemble \textit{LLT polynomials} introduced by Lascoux, Leclerc and Thibon; in fact the metaplectic symmetric functions are (up to twisting) specializations of \textit{supersymmetric LLT polynomials} defined by Lam. Indeed Lam constructed families of symmetric functions from Heisenberg algebra actions on the Fock space commuting with the $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}(n))$-action. We explain that half vertex operators agree with Lam's construction and this interpretation allows for many new identities for metaplectic symmetric and Whittaker functions, including Cauchy identities. While both metaplectic symmetric functions and LLT polynomials can be related to vertex operators on the $q$-Fock space, only metaplectic symmetric functions are connected to solvable lattice models.Comment: v3 changes: minor edit

Crystal constructions in Number Theory

Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series and metaplectic Whittaker functions can be described in terms of crystal graphs. We present crystals as parameterized by Littelmann patterns and we give a survey of purely combinatorial constructions of prime power coefficients of Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series and metaplectic Whittaker functions using the language of crystal graphs. We explore how the branching structure of crystals manifests in these constructions, and how it allows access to some intricate objects in number theory and related open questions using tools of algebraic combinatorics

Colored five-vertex models and Demazure atoms

Type A Demazure atoms are pieces of Schur functions, or sets of tableaux whose weights sum to such functions. Inspired by colored vertex models of Borodin and Wheeler, we will construct solvable lattice models whose partition functions are Demazure atoms; the proof of this makes use of a Yang-Baxter equation for a colored five-vertex model. As a biproduct, we construct Demazure atoms on Kashiwara's $\mathcal{B}_\infty$ crystal and give new algorithms for computing Lascoux-Sch\"utzenberger keys