An Analysis of the Multiplicity Spaces in Branching of Symplectic Groups

Branching of symplectic groups is not multiplicity-free. We describe a new approach to resolving these multiplicities that is based on studying the associated branching algebra $B$. The algebra $B$ is a graded algebra whose components encode the multiplicities of irreducible representations of $Sp_{2n-2}$ in irreducible representations of $Sp_{2n}$. Our first theorem states that the map taking an element of $Sp_{2n}$ to its principal $n \times (n+1)$ submatrix induces an isomorphism of \B to a different branching algebra \B'. The algebra \B' encodes multiplicities of irreducible representations of $GL_{n-1}$ in certain irreducible representations of $GL_{n+1}$. Our second theorem is that each multiplicity space that arises in the restriction of an irreducible representation of $Sp_{2n}$ to $Sp_{2n-2}$ is canonically an irreducible module for the $n$-fold product of $SL_{2}$. In particular, this induces a canonical decomposition of the multiplicity spaces into one dimensional spaces, thereby resolving the multiplicities.Comment: 32 pages, revised abstract and introduction, and reorganized the structure of the pape

A Basis for the Symplectic Group Branching Algebra

The symplectic group branching algebra, B, is a graded algebra whose components encode the multiplicities of irreducible representations of Sp(2n-2,C) in each irreducible representation of Sp(2n,C). By describing on B an ASL structure, we construct an explicit standard monomial basis of B consisting of Sp(2n-2,C) highest weight vectors. Moreover, B is known to carry a canonical action of the n-fold product SL(2) \times ... \times SL(2), and we show that the standard monomial basis is the unique (up to scalar) weight basis associated to this representation. Finally, using the theory of Hibi algebras we describe a deformation of Spec(B) into an explicit toric variety.Comment: 20 pages, v

Quantum Polynomial Functors

We construct a category of quantum polynomial functors which deforms Friedlander and Suslin's category of strict polynomial functors. The main aim of this paper is to develop from first principles the basic structural properties of this category (duality, projective generators, braiding etc.) in analogy with classical strict polynomial functors. We then apply the work of Hashimoto and Hayashi in this context to construct quantum Schur/Weyl functors, and use this to provide new and easy derivations of quantum $(GL_m,GL_n)$ duality, along with other results in quantum invariant theory.Comment: 34 pages, final version to appear in Journal of Algebr

A quantum Mirkovi\'c-Vybornov isomorphism

We present a quantization of an isomorphism of Mirkovi\'c and Vybornov which relates the intersection of a Slodowy slice and a nilpotent orbit closure in $\mathfrak{gl}_N$ , to a slice between spherical Schubert varieties in the affine Grassmannian of $PGL_n$ (with weights encoded by the Jordan types of the nilpotent orbits). A quantization of the former variety is provided by a parabolic W-algebra and of the latter by a truncated shifted Yangian. Building on earlier work of Brundan and Kleshchev, we define an explicit isomorphism between these non-commutative algebras, and show that its classical limit is a variation of the original isomorphism of Mirkovi\'c and Vybornov. As a corollary, we deduce that the W-algebra is free as a left (or right) module over its Gelfand-Tsetlin subalgebra, as conjectured by Futorny, Molev, and Ovsienko.Comment: v2: 48 pages. Major rewrite following referee comments. Added proof of a conjecture of Futorny, Molev, and Ovsienko that the finite W-algebra is free over its Gelfand-Tsetlin subalgebr