A definition of the crystal commutor using Kashiwara's involution (Q1016153)

Let \(\mathfrak g\) be a complex reductive Lie algebra. A crystal for \(\mathfrak g\) is a finite set \(B\) along with maps \(e_i,f_i:B\to B\sqcup 0\) for each vertex \(i\) of the Dynkin diagram of \(\mathfrak g\) and a map from \(B\) to the set of weights, satisfying a certain set of axioms. If \(A\) and \(B\) are crystals of representations of \(\mathfrak g\), then \(A\otimes B\) and \(B\otimes A\) are isomorphic. However the map \((a,b)\mapsto (b,a)\) is not an isomorphism. \textit{A. Henriques} and \textit{J. Kamnitzer} [Duke Math. J. 132, No. 2, 191--216 (2006; Zbl 1123.22007)] constructed an explicit isomorphism \(\sigma_{A,B}: A \otimes B\to B\otimes A\), which they call the commutor. This commutor is involutive and satisfies the cactus relation, a certain axiom involving triple tensor products. In the paper under review the authors show that the action of this commutor on highest weight elements can be expressed very simply using Kashiwara's involution on the Verma crystal.