The \(\widehat {\mathfrak {sl}}(n)_k\)-WZNW fusion ring: a combinatorial construction and a realisation as quotient of quantum cohomology (Q986077)

A theorem of Witten asserts that the fusion ring \(\mathcal{F}(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}(n))_k\) of integrable highest weight \(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}(n)\)-modules at level \(k\) is isomorphic to the specialization at \(q=1\) of the quantum cohomology ring \(qH^{\bullet}(\mathrm{Gr}_{k,n+k})_{q=1}\) for the Grassmannian \(\mathrm{Gr}_{k,n+k}\). The main aim of the paper under review is to give a mathematically rigorous realization of \(\mathcal{F}(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}}(n))_k\) as a quotient of \(qH^{\bullet}(\mathrm{Gr}_{k,n+k})\) with the defining relations explained via Bethe Ansatz equations of a quantum integrable system. Both rings are also described combinatorially in terms of symmetric polynomials (Schur polynomials) in pairwise noncommuting variables. The starting point of authors' analysis is an observation that generating function of the elementary symmetric polynomials turns out to be the transfer matrix for a quantum integrable system. As a consequence, the authors obtain a simple particle formulation of both rings leading to new recursion formulae for the structure constants of the fusion ring as well as for Gromov-Witten invariants. The proposed approach also leads naturally to the Verlinde formula and equips the combinatorial fusion algebra with a \(\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\)-action.