Braid group action and quantum affine algebras (Q1338879)

The purpose of this paper is to establish explicitly the isomorphism between the quantum enveloping algebra \(U_ q (\widehat{g})\) of Drinfeld and Jimbo (\(\widehat{g}\) an untwisted affine Kac-Moody algebra) and the ``new realization'' of \textit{V. G. Drinfeld} [Sov. Math., Dokl. 36, 212- 216 (1988); translation from Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 269, 13-17 (1987; Zbl 0667.16004)]. (The last form makes the study of finite dimensional representations easier.) The author uses the action on \(U_ q (\widehat{g})\) of the braid group associated with the extended affine Weyl group of \(\widehat{g}\). This action fixes the Heisenberg subalgebra pointwise. Loop-like generators of the algebra are obtained as translations of the usual Drinfeld-Jimbo generators. They satisfy the relations of Drinfeld's new realization. Coproduct formulas are given and a PBW type basis is constructed.