Quantum \(K\)-theory of quiver varieties and many-body systems (Q821039)

Quantum cohomology and \(K\)-theory algebras of geometrically relevant spaces, for example Nakajima quiver varieties, are important objects of equivariant geometry. The paper under review defines a version of such quantum \(K\)-theory algebra, not based on the customary approach of counting stable maps, but based on counting quasi-maps. With this approach the authors define some distinguished classes (``quantum tautological classes''), and a deformed product operation. Motivated by relations to quantum integrable systems the authors consider certain functions, called partition functions. In fact these partition functions come in two flavors, and an operator mapping one to the other (capping operator) satisfies quantum difference equations of the style of qKZ equations. The first main result of the paper is that -- for quiver varieties with discrete fixed point set -- the eigenvalues of the quantum product by quantum tautological classes can be expressed via a certain asymptotic of the vertex function. The second main result concern the special case of the cotangent bundle of a partial flag variety of type A. In this case the \(K\)-theory algebra can be identified with the Hilbert space of a quantum integrable system called XXZ model. Using this correspondence the authors calculate the vertex functions, and -- through the correspondence mentioned above -- obtain formulas for the eigenvalues of the quantum multiplication operators. The interesting degeneration to the compact 0-section of the cotangent bundle is given in detail. The third main topic of the paper concerns the further special case of cotangent bundle over the full flag variety. The paper presents theorems similar in spirit to Giventhal-Kim theorems in quantum cohomology. Namely, the quantum \(K\)-theory algebra is presented as the algebra of functions on a Lagrangian subvariety of the phase space of an integrable model, called trigonometric Ruijsenaars-Schneider model. Again, the interesting degeneration to the 0-section is spelled out in detail, where now the Lagrangian variety lives in the phase space of the relativistic Toda lattice.