Symmetric functions and the centre of the Ringel-Hall algebra of a cyclic quiver. (Q2571074)

Hall algebras of cyclic quivers have come up in important applications, especially in work of \textit{S. Ariki} and \textit{A. Mathas} [Math. Z. 233, No. 3, 601-623 (2000; Zbl 0955.20003)] and of \textit{M. Varagnolo} and \textit{E. Vasserot} [Duke Math. J. 100, No. 2, 267-297 (1999; Zbl 0962.17006)]. \textit{C. M. Ringel} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 66, No. 3, 507-537 (1993; Zbl 0797.16014)] had studied these Hall algebras, showing in particular the existence of Hall polynomials. Subsequently, \textit{O. Schiffmann} [Int. Math. Res. Not. 2000, No. 8, 413-440 (2000; Zbl 0966.16005)] proved that such a Hall algebra is the tensor product of the composition algebra (i.e. the positive part of an affine quantum group) and the centre of the Hall algebra, which he showed to be a polynomial algebra in infinitely many variables. The main result of the present paper reproves and extends Schiffmann's result, now explicitly describing generators of the centre as linear combinations of quiver representations. One of the applications given here is a new isomorphism between symmetric functions and a central subalgebra of the Hall algebra. Another application relates the power sum symmetric functions with natural elements of the Hall algebra.