Quantum symmetric pairs and their zonal spherical functions. (Q1413714)

The paper is concerned with study of quantum versions of symmetric spaces. Let \(\mathfrak g\) be a complex semisimple Lie algebra and let \(\theta\) be an involution of \(\mathfrak g\). A classical (infinitesimal) symmetric pair consists of \(\mathfrak g\) and the fixed subalgebra \(\mathfrak g^\theta\). Koornwinder was the first to use an infinitesimal approach to construct quantum symmetric spaces. See constructions of quantum analogues of the enveloping algebra \(U(\mathfrak g^\theta)\) by the author Symmetric pairs for quantized enveloping algebras. [J. Algebra 220, No. 2, 729--767 (1999; Zbl 0956.17007)]. The author studies the space of biinvariants and zonal spherical functions associated to quantum symmetric pairs in the maximally split case. Under the obvious restriction map, the space of biinvariants is proved isomorphic to the Weyl group invariants of the character group ring associated to the restricted roots. As a consequence, an irreducible symmetric pair yields either a unique set, or an (almost) unique two-parameter set of Weyl group invariant quantum zonal spherical functions. The author also constructs a complete and explicit list of the generators and relations for the left coideal subalgebras of the quantized enveloping algebra used to form quantum symmetric spaces.