Quantum integrability and generalised quantum Schubert calculus (Q529227)

Let \(X\) be a smooth complete complex algebraic variety. A connective \(K\)-theory \(K(X,\beta)\) of \(X\) is, roughly speaking, an interpolation of the cohomology theory and the \(K\)-theory of \(X\), in the sense that \(K(X,0)=H^*(X)\), the ordinary singular cohomology ring of \(X\), and \(K(X,1)=K(X)\), the ordinary Grothendieck ring of \(X\). To say it with a slogan, the paper under review is concerned with the quantum equivariant connective \(K\)-theory, \(qh^*_n:=qh^*(X;\beta)\), of the Grassmann variety \(X:=G(n,N)\), parametrizing \(n\)-dimensional subspaces of \(\mathbb{C}^N\). The ring \(qh^*_n\) can be seen as a multiparameter deformation of the classical cohomology ring of \(X\). The involved deformation parameters \((t_1,\ldots,t_n)\), \(q\) and \(\beta\) play different roles. The first are the equivariant parameters related with the action of the algebraic torus \(\mathbb{T}:=(\mathbb{C}^*)^n\), induced by the diagonal action on \(\mathbb{P}^{N-1}\), \(q\) is the quantum deformation parameter and \(\beta\) is a parameter that connects the generalized (i.e. quantum, equivariant) \(K\)-theory of \(X\) (for \(\beta=1\)) to the quantum, equivariant cohomology ring \(QH^*_{\mathbb{T}}(X)\) (for \(\beta=0\)). The main result of this paper is without doubt the description of the ring \(qh^*_n\). Its impact is described in another main result, named Theorem 1.1. in the introduction, where three different specializations of \(qh^*_n\), obtained by setting to zero some of the deformation parameters, are considered. It is so shown that \(qh^*_n\) generalizes all the presentations known so far, relying on one hand on the classical Schubert Calculus, ruled by Giambelli's and Pieri's formula and, on the other, on important work appeared along the last couple of decades, due to \textit{D. Peterson} [``Quantum Cohomology of \(G/P\)'', Lecture Notes, M.I.T. (1997)], \textit{B. Kostant} and \textit{S. Kumar} [J. Differ. Geom. 32, No. 2, 549--603 (1990; Zbl 0731.55005)] and more recently to \textit{A. S. Buch} and \textit{L. C. Mihalcea} [Duke Math. J. 156, No. 3, 501--538 (2011; Zbl 1213.14103)]. In particular, Theorem 1.1. shows that i) setting \(\beta=0\) one recovers the presentation due to \textit{L. C. Mihalcea} [Adv. Math. 203, No. 1, 1--33 (2006; Zbl 1100.14045)] of the quantum cohomology ring \(QH^*_{\mathbb{T}}(X)\); ii) setting \(\beta=1\) and \((t_1,\ldots, t_N)=(0,\ldots,0)\), one obtains Buch's quantum \(K\) theory \(KQ(X)\) and that iii) for \(\beta=-1\), \(q=0\) and \(t_j\) equal to certain expressions involving generators of the character ring of \({\mathfrak gl}(N)\), recovers \(K_{\mathbb{T}}(X)\), the equivariant \(K\)-functor. The proof of iii) above is certainly the most intriguing, as it involves a generalization of the celebrated Goresky-Kottwitz-MacPherson theory [\textit{M. Goresky} et al., Invent. Math. 131, No. 1, 25--83 (1998; Zbl 0897.22009)] and the localized Schubert classes are identified with certan polynomials related to the Bethe ansatz of quantum integrable models, which is another part of the story told in this impressive article. As a matter of fact, the topic faced in the paper is so wide and important that it is hard to bound it within the narrow borders of conventional subject classifications. Indeed, the ring \(qh^*_n\), the main character of the paper, allows the authors to dig up a breath taking relationship between Schubert Calculus and certain quantum integrable systems that in statistical mechanics are known as \textsl{asymmetric six-vertex model}, invented to describe the physics of anti-ferroelectric materials. This very well written paper is rather long and dense but the authors put a special effort not to loose the readers by clearly segmenting it in sections, with the aim to provide pre-requisites with graduality. Although combinatorial tools are inspired by the Yang Baxter equations as well as the six vertex models in statistical mechanics, a preliminary knowledge of the latter is not necessary to follow the mathematical content of the paper, which candidates itself to be a must for all mathematicians interested in the cohomological theories of homogeneous varieties.