Crystal basis Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
A crystal basis is the combinatorial limit of a basis of a quantum-group representation. Its colored directed graph records the actions of the Kashiwara lowering operators.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 102 5 Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Use the B2 root system conventionThus is the five-dimensional vector representation of the Special orthogonal Lie algebra . Label its weight verticesThe crystal basis is the colored chainbecause each Kashiwara operator subtracts .
For the tensor product of crystals, write for . The complete colored-arrow graph is compactly specified byIts three connected highest-weight components start at , , and . Their vertex sets areTheir highest weights and dimensions identify the ten-vertex component with the exterior square and the other two with the symmetric square. Thereforeof dimensions and , respectively.
Every weight of lies in the root lattice, so every weight of every tensor power also lies in that lattice. But represents the nonzero coset in the quotient of the weight lattice by the root lattice. Consequently no irreducible constituent of can have highest weight , and never occurs.
Tensor product of crystals Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
The tensor product crystal uses the -string data and to decide on which tensor factor a Kashiwara operator acts. Its connected components are highest-weight crystals and encode the decomposition of the tensor product representation.