A commutation formula for root vectors in quantized enveloping algebras (Q1305109)

Let \(v\) be an indeterminate and let \(U\) be the quantized enveloping algebra over \(\mathbb Q(v)\) associated to a symmetrizable Cartan matrix. Any choice of a reduced expression for the longest element \(w_0\) in the Weyl group induces a total ordering on the positive roots. Using Lusztig's braid group action on \(U\) one can then define divided power root vectors \(E_\alpha^{(a)}\) for every positive root \(\alpha\) and every non-negative integer \(a\). The main result of the paper under review is an explicit commutation formula for two divided power root vectors which generalizes Lemma 1.7 of \textit{C. De Concini} and \textit{V. G. Kac} [Prog. Math. 92, 471-506 (1990; Zbl 0738.17008)]. As a consequence the author shows that the integral form of the positive part \(U^+\) of \(U\) over \(\mathbb Z[v,v^{-1}]\) has a PBW-type basis in terms of the \(E_\alpha^{(a)}\), where the ordering of the positive roots in the monomials is arbitrary (unlike the Dyer-Lusztig basis where the ordering depends on the choice of the reduced expression for \(w_0\)). Moreover, a variation of the commutation formula is used to prove that certain PBW-like bases are orthogonal for Kashiwara's bilinear form on \(U^+\). A similar result for the bilinear form obtained from the Drinfeld dual was established before by \textit{S. Z. Levendorskii} and \textit{Ya. S. Soibel'man} [J. Geom. Phys. 7, 241-254 (1990; Zbl 0729.17009)] as well as \textit{G. Lusztig} [Introduction to Quantum Groups, Prog. Math. 110, Birkhäuser, Boston (1993; Zbl 0788.17010)].