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# The 𝑞–characters at roots of unity

## 1. Introduction

The theory of $`q`$–characters of finite-dimensional representations of quantum affine algebras was developed in \[FR, FM\]. In those works, $`q`$ was assumed to be a generic non-zero complex number (i.e., not a root of unity). In the present paper we extend the results of \[FR, FM\] to the case when $`q`$ is a root of unity.

There are different versions of the quantum affine algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ when $`q`$ is specialized to a root of unity $`ϵ`$: the non-restricted specialization $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$ studied by Beck and Kac \[BK\], the restricted specialization $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ studied by Chari and Pressley \[CP4\] (following the general definition due to Lusztig \[L\]), and the “small” affine quantum group $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, which is the image of the natural homomorphism $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

It was shown in \[CP4\] that all irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ (of type 1) are highest weight representations with respect to a triangular decomposition in terms of the Drinfeld generators (more precisely, these results were obtained in \[CP4\] in the case when $`ϵ`$ is a root of unity of odd order, but we extend them here to all roots of unity). Using these results, we define the $`ϵ`$–character of a $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$ via the generalized eigenvalues of a commutative subalgebra of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ on $`V`$. We establish various properties of the $`ϵ`$–character homomorphism; in particular, we show that the $`q`$–characters specialize to $`ϵ`$–characters as $`qϵ`$.

In addition, using results of \[BK\] we show that all irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ (of type 1) are highest weight representations, describe their highest weights and define the corresponding $`ϵ`$–characters. We show that each irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module admits a unique structure of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module. This allows us to obtain the $`ϵ`$–characters of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules from the $`ϵ`$–characters of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules.

Finally, we study the quantum Frobenius homomorphism, following Lusztig’s definition \[L\]. Let $`l`$ be the order of $`ϵ^2`$ and $`ϵ^{}=ϵ^{l^2}\{\pm 1\}`$. The Frobenius homomorphism maps $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ (more precisely, its modified version) either to $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ or to $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^L`$, depending on whether $`l`$ is divisible by the lacing number $`r^{}`$ or not. Here $`\widehat{𝔤}^L`$ denotes the Langlands dual Lie algebra to $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ (it is twisted if $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ is not simply-laced) and we use the notation $`\mathrm{Rep}U`$ for the Grothendieck ring of finite-dimensional representations of an algebra $`U`$. In this paper we deal only with the untwisted quantum affine algebras, and so we consider the Frobenius homomorphism in detail only in the case when $`(l,r^{})=1`$.

The Frobenius pull-backs of irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules are irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules. We describe their $`ϵ`$–characters in terms of the ordinary characters of irreducible finite-dimensional representations of the simple Lie algebra $`𝔤`$.

A decomposition theorem (previously proved by Chari and Pressley \[CP4\] in the case when $`ϵ`$ has odd order) allows one to decompose any irreducible finite-dimensional representation of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ as a tensor product of a Frobenius pull-back and a module which remains irreducible when restricted to $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. Thus, we obtain an isomorphism of vector spaces

$$\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}.$$

Similar results can be obtained for the twisted quantum affine algebras. We will describe the $`q`$–characters and $`ϵ`$–characters of twisted quantum affine algebras in a separate publication.

Acknowledgments. We thank V. Chari, D. Gaitsgory, A. Kirillov, Jr., and N. Reshetikhin for useful discussions. This research was supported in part by the Packard Foundation and the NSF.

## 2. Definitions

### 2.1. Root data

Let $`𝔤`$ be a simple Lie algebra of rank $`\mathrm{}`$. Let $`(,)`$ be the invariant inner product on $`𝔤`$, such that the square of the length of the maximal coroot $`\alpha _{\mathrm{max}}^{}`$ equals $`2`$. The induced inner product on the dual space to the Cartan subalgebra $`𝔥`$ of $`𝔤`$ is also denoted by $`(,)`$. Denote by $`I`$ the set $`\{1,\mathrm{},\mathrm{}\}`$. Let $`\{\alpha _i\}_{iI}`$, $`\{\alpha _i^{}\}_{iI}`$ $`\{\omega _i\}_{iI}`$ be the sets of simple roots, simple coroots and fundamental weights of $`𝔤`$, respectively. We denote by $`\alpha _{\mathrm{max}}`$ the maximal (positive) root of $`𝔤`$.

Let $`r^{}`$ be the maximal number of edges connecting two vertices of the Dynkin diagram of $`𝔤`$. Thus, $`r^{}=1`$ for simply-laced $`𝔤`$, $`r^{}=2`$ for $`B_{\mathrm{}},C_{\mathrm{}},F_4`$, and $`r^{}=3`$ for $`G_2`$.

Set $`r_i=\frac{(\alpha _i,\alpha _i)}{2}`$. All $`r_i`$’s are equal to $`1`$ for simply-laced $`𝔤`$, and $`r_i`$’s are equal to $`1`$ or $`r^{}`$ depending on whether $`\alpha _i`$ is short or long, for non-simply laced $`𝔤`$.

Let $`C=(C_{ij})_{i,jI}`$ be the Cartan matrix of $`𝔤`$, $`C_{ij}=\frac{2(\alpha _i,\alpha _j)}{(\alpha _i,\alpha _i)}`$.

Let $`\widehat{I}=\{0,1,\mathrm{},\mathrm{}\}`$ and let $`(C_{ij})_{i,j\widehat{I}}`$ be the Cartan matrix of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$. We set $`r_0=r^{}`$.

We also fix a choice of a function $`o:I\{\pm 1\}`$ such that $`o(i)o(j)`$ whenever $`(\alpha _i,\alpha _j)0`$.

### 2.2. Quantum affine algebras

Let $`q`$ be an indeterminate, $`(q)`$ the field of rational functions of $`q`$ and $`[q,q^1]`$ the ring of Laurent polynomials with complex coefficients. For $`n`$, $`m_0`$ set

$$[n]_q=\frac{q^nq^n}{qq^1},\left[\begin{array}{c}n\\ m\end{array}\right]_q=\frac{_{i=nm+1}^n[i]_q}{_{i=1}^m[i]_q},[m]_q!=\underset{i=1}{\overset{m}{}}[i]_q.$$

Let $`q_i=q^{r_i},i\widehat{I}`$.

In this paper we deal exclusively with finite-dimensional representations of quantum affine algebras, all of which have level zero. The (multiplicative) central element of a quantum affine algebra acts as the identity on such representations. To simplify our formulas, we will impose in the definition of the quantum affine algebra the additional relation that this central element is equal to $`1`$.

The quantum affine algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ (of level zero) in the Drinfeld-Jimbo realization \[Dr1, J\] is an associative algebra over $`(q)`$ with generators $`x_i^\pm `$ ($`i\widehat{I}`$), $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ ($`iI`$), and relations:

$`k_ik_i^1=k_i^1k_i`$ $`=1,k_ik_j=k_jk_i,`$
$`k_ix_j^\pm k_i^1`$ $`=q_i^{\pm C_{ij}}x_j^\pm ,`$
$`[x_i^+,x_j^{}]`$ $`=\delta _{ij}{\displaystyle \frac{k_ik_i^1}{q_iq_i^1}},`$
$`{\displaystyle \underset{r=0}{\overset{1C_{ij}}{}}}(1)^r\left[\begin{array}{cc}1C_{ij}& \\ r& \end{array}\right]_{q_i}`$ $`(x_i^\pm )^rx_j^\pm (x_i^\pm )^{1C_{ij}r}=0(ij).`$
Here we use the notation $`k_0=_{iI}k_i^{a_i}`$, where $`\alpha _{\mathrm{max}}=_{iI}a_i\alpha _i`$.

The algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ has a structure of a Hopf algebra with the comultiplication $`\mathrm{\Delta }`$ and the antipode $`S`$ given on the generators by the formulas:

$`\mathrm{\Delta }(k_i)`$ $`=`$ $`k_ik_i,`$
$`\mathrm{\Delta }(x_i^+)`$ $`=`$ $`x_i^+1+k_ix_i^+,`$
$`\mathrm{\Delta }(x_i^{})`$ $`=`$ $`x_i^{}k_i^1+1x_i^{},`$
$$S(x_i^+)=x_i^+k_i,S(x_i^{})=k_i^1x_i^{},S(k_i^{\pm 1})=k_i^1.$$

The Hopf algebra $`U_q𝔤`$ is defined as the $`(q)`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ with generators $`x_i^\pm `$, $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$, where $`iI`$.

Let $`\sigma `$ be an automorphism of the affine Dynkin diagram, i.e., $`\sigma :\widehat{I}\widehat{I}`$, such that $`(\alpha _i,\alpha _j)=(\sigma \alpha _i,\sigma \alpha _j)`$. Then we also denote by $`\sigma `$ an $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ automorphism defined by the formulas

(2.1) $`\sigma (x_i^\pm )=x_{\sigma (i)}^\pm ,\sigma (k_i)=k_{\sigma (i)}(i\widehat{I}).`$
Let $`T_i`$, $`i\widehat{I}`$, be the $`(q)`$–algebra automorphisms of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, defined by the formulas

$`T_i(k_j)=k_i^{a_{ij}}k_j,`$
$`T_i((x_i^+)^{(n)})=(1)^nq_i^{n(n1)}(x_i^{})^{(n)}k_i^n,T_i((x_i^{})^{(n)})=(1)^nq_i^{n(n1)}k_i^n(x_i^+)^{(n)},`$
$`T_i((x_j^+)^{(n)})={\displaystyle \underset{r=0}{\overset{na_{ij}}{}}}(1)^rq_i^r(x_i^+)^{(na_{ij}r)}(x_j^+)^{(n)}(x_i^+)^{(r)}(ij),`$
$`T_i((x_j^{})^{(n)})={\displaystyle \underset{r=0}{\overset{na_{ij}}{}}}(1)^rq_i^r(x_i^{})^{(r)}(x_j^{})^{(n)}(x_i^{})^{(na_{ij}r)}(ij).`$
Here we use the following notation for divided powers

$$(x_i^\pm )^{(r)}=\frac{(x_i^\pm )^r}{[r]_{q_i}!}.$$

If $`iI`$ then $`T_i`$ induces an $`(q)`$–automorphism of subalgebra $`U_q𝔤`$ of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, also denoted by $`T_i`$. The automorphisms $`T_i`$ are the operators $`T_{i,1}^{\prime \prime }`$ introduced in \[L\], §41.1.2.

Next, we describe the Drinfeld “new” realization of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$.

###### Theorem 2.1 (\[Dr2, KT, LSS, B\]).

The algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ is isomorphic over $`(q)`$ to the algebra with generators $`x_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n`$), $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ ($`iI`$), $`h_{i,n}`$ ($`iI`$, $`n\backslash 0`$), with the following relations:

$`k_ik_j=k_jk_i,`$ $`k_ih_{j,n}=h_{j,n}k_i,`$
$`k_ix_{j,n}^\pm k_i^1`$ $`=q_i^{\pm C_{ij}}x_{j,n}^\pm ,`$
$`[h_{i,n},x_{j,m}^\pm ]`$ $`=\pm {\displaystyle \frac{1}{n}}[nC_{ij}]_{q_i}x_{j,n+m}^\pm ,`$
$`x_{i,n+1}^\pm x_{j,m}^\pm q_i^{\pm C_{ij}}x_{j,m}^\pm x_{i,n+1}^\pm `$ $`=q_i^{\pm C_{ij}}x_{i,n}^\pm x_{j,m+1}^\pm x_{j,m+1}^\pm x_{i,n}^\pm ,`$
$`[h_{i,n},h_{j,m}]`$ $`=0,`$
$`[x_{i,n}^+,x_{j,m}^{}]=\delta _{ij}`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{\varphi _{i,n+m}^+\varphi _{i,n+m}^{}}{q_iq_i^1}},`$
$`{\displaystyle \underset{\pi \mathrm{\Sigma }_s}{}}{\displaystyle \underset{k=0}{\overset{s}{}}}(1)^k\left[\begin{array}{cc}s& \\ k& \end{array}\right]_{q_i}x_{i,n_{\pi (1)}}^\pm \mathrm{}x_{i,n_{\pi (k)}}^\pm `$ $`x_{j,m}^\pm x_{i,n_{\pi (k+1)}}^\pm \mathrm{}x_{i,n_{\pi (s)}}^\pm =0,s=1C_{ij},`$
for all sequences of integers $`n_1,\mathrm{},n_s`$, and $`ij`$, where $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_s`$ is the symmetric group on $`s`$ letters, and $`\varphi _{i,n}^\pm `$’s are determined by the formula

(2.2)
$$\mathrm{\Phi }_i^\pm (u):=\underset{n=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\varphi _{i,\pm n}^\pm u^{\pm n}=k_i^{\pm 1}\mathrm{exp}\left(\pm (q_iq_i^1)\underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}h_{i,\pm m}u^{\pm m}\right).$$

Let $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}^\pm `$ be the subalgebras of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`x_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n`$). Let $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}^0`$ be the subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$, $`h_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n0`$).

In fact, according to \[B\] (see also \[CP4, BCP\]), the isomorphism described in Theorem 2.1 has the form

$$x_{i,r}^\pm =o(i)^rT_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i}^r(x_i^\pm ),$$

where $`T_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega _i}}`$ is an automorphism of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ given by a certain composition of braid group automorphisms $`T_i`$ and a diagram automorphism $`\sigma `$ of type $`(`$2.1$`)`$. We remark that in \[B, CP4\] a different normalization for the braid group action is used. In this paper we follow the conventions of \[BCP\], \[L\].

For any $`a^\times `$, there is a Hopf algebra automorphism $`\tau _a`$ of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ defined on the generators by the following formulas:

(2.3) $`\tau _a(x_{i,n}^\pm )=a^nx_{i,n}^\pm ,\tau _a(\varphi _{i,n}^\pm )=a^n\varphi _{i,n}^\pm ,`$
for all $`iI`$, $`n`$. Given a $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$ and $`a^\times `$, we denote by $`V(a)`$ the pull-back of $`V`$ under $`\tau _a`$.

### 2.3. Restricted integral form

Let $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ be the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ and $`(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}`$, $`i\widehat{I}`$, $`n_{>0}`$. Then $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a $`[q,q^1]`$ Hopf subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ preserved by automorphisms $`T_i`$, $`i\widehat{I}`$.

Similarly, let $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$ be the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q𝔤`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ and $`(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}`$, $`iI`$, $`n_{>0}`$. Then $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$ is a $`[q,q^1]`$ Hopf subalgebra of $`U_q𝔤`$ preserved by automorphisms $`T_i`$, $`iI`$.

For $`iI`$, $`r_{>0}`$, define

$$\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ r\end{array}\right]=\underset{s=1}{\overset{r}{}}\frac{k_iq_i^{1s}k_i^1q_i^{s1}}{q_i^sq_i^s}.$$

Note that $`\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ r\end{array}\right]`$ is denoted by $`\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i;0\\ r\end{array}\right]`$ in \[CP4\].

For $`iI`$, $`n`$, define the elements $`P_{i,n}U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ by

$$𝒫_i^\pm (u)=\underset{n=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}P_{i,\pm n}u^{\pm n}=\mathrm{exp}(\underset{m=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\frac{h_{i,\pm m}}{[m]_{q_i}}u^{\pm m})).$$

Note that

$$\mathrm{\Phi }_i^\pm (u)=k_i^{\pm 1}\frac{𝒫_i^\pm (uq_i^1)}{𝒫_i^\pm (uq_i)}.$$

Denote by $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^\pm `$ the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`(x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}`$, $`iI`$, $`r`$, $`n_{>0}`$. Denote $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0`$ the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i`$, $`\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ r\end{array}\right]`$, $`i\widehat{I}`$ and $`P_{i,n}`$, $`iI`$, $`n`$, $`r_{>0}`$.

###### Theorem 2.2 (\[CP4\], Proposition 6.1).

We have $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^\pm U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. The algebra $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is generated by the subalgebras $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^+`$, $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^{}`$ and $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$, $`iI`$. Moreover, the multiplication gives an isomorphism of vector spaces

(2.4) $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^{}U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^+.`$
Let $`ϵ`$ be a primitive $`s`$-th root of unity, i.e., $`ϵ^s=1`$ and $`ϵ^k1`$ for $`k=1,2,\mathrm{},s1`$. For $`i\widehat{I}`$, let $`ϵ_i=ϵ^{r_i}`$ and let

$$l=\{\begin{array}{cc}s,& s\mathrm{is}\mathrm{odd}\\ s/2,& s\mathrm{is}\mathrm{even}\end{array}l_i=\{\begin{array}{cc}l,& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{not}\mathrm{divisible}\mathrm{by}r_i\\ s/r_i,& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{divisible}\mathrm{by}r_i.\end{array}$$

In other words, $`l`$ is the order of $`ϵ^2`$, and $`l_i`$ is the order of $`ϵ_i^2`$. Thus, $`l`$ is the minimal natural number with the property $`[l]_ϵ=0`$ and $`l_i`$ is the minimal natural number with the property $`[l_i]_{ϵ_i}=0`$.

Define the structure of a module over the ring $`[q,q^1]`$ on $``$ by the formula

$$p(q,q^1)p(ϵ,ϵ^1),p(q,q^1)[q,q^1].$$

Denote this module by $`_ϵ`$. Set

$`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}=U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_{[q,q^1]}_ϵ,`$
$`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤=U_q^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤_{[q,q^1]}_ϵ.`$
Also set

$`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^\pm =U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^\pm _{[q,q^1]}_ϵU_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤},`$
$`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0=U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0_{[q,q^1]}_ϵU_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}.`$
The algebra $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is called the restricted specialization of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ at $`q=ϵ`$.

### 2.4. Non-restricted integral form and small affine quantum group

Let $`\stackrel{~}{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ be the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ and $`x_i^\pm `$, $`i\widehat{I}`$. This is a $`[q,q^1]`$ Hopf subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ preserved by automorphisms $`T_i`$, $`i\widehat{I}`$. Using Theorem 2.1 we obtain that $`\stackrel{~}{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ may also be described as the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$, $`x_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n`$), $`h_{i,n}`$ ($`iI`$, $`n\backslash 0`$). Note that $`\stackrel{~}{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

Define the non-restricted specialization of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ at $`q=ϵ`$ by

$$\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}:=\stackrel{~}{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}_{[q,q^1]}_ϵ.$$

We have a natural homomorphism $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. Denote by $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ the image of this homomorphism. We call $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ the small affine quantum group of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ at $`q=ϵ`$. This is the subalgebra of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$ and $`x_i^\pm `$, $`i\widehat{I}`$.

We remark that Chari and Pressley use in \[CP4\] the notation $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ for a larger subalgebra of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, which includes $`P_{i,n},iI,n`$ in addition to the above generators.

Note that if $`l=1`$, we have: $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}=U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}=U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. Hence from now on, when dealing with $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$ or $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, we will always assume that $`l>1`$.

###### Lemma 2.3.

For $`l>1`$, the following relations hold in $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$: $`(x_i^\pm )^{l_i}=0`$ $`(i\widehat{I})`$, $`(x_{i,n}^\pm )^{l_i}=0`$, and $`h_{i,ml_i}=0`$ $`(iI`$, $`n`$, $`m\backslash 0)`$.

###### Proof.

This follows from the fact that the elements $`(x_i^\pm )^{(l_i)},(x_{i,n}^\pm )^{(l_i)}`$, and $`h_{i,ml_i}/[ml_i]_{q_i}`$ belong to $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. ∎

In particular, $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is generated by $`k_i^{\pm 1}`$, $`x_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n`$), $`h_{i,n}`$ ($`iI`$, $`n\backslash l_i`$).

### 2.5. Finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$

A finite-dimensional representation of $`U_q𝔤`$ is said to be of type $`1`$ if $`k_i`$, $`iI`$, act by semi-simple operators with eigenvalues in $`q_i^{}`$. A finite-dimensional representation $`V`$ of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$ is said to be of type $`1`$ if $`V`$ has a basis of eigenvectors of the elements $`k_i`$, $`\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right],iI`$, and for each vector $`v`$ from this basis there exist integers $`\lambda _i`$, such that

$$k_iv=ϵ_i^{\lambda _i}v,\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]v=\left[\begin{array}{c}\lambda _i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]_{ϵ_i}v,$$

(see \[CP2\], §11.2). Such a vector $`v`$ is called a weight vector of weight $`_{iI}\lambda _i\omega _i`$.

A finite-dimensional $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module (resp., $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module) $`V`$ is said to be of type $`1`$ if the restriction of $`V`$ to $`U_q𝔤`$ (resp., $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$) is of type $`1`$. In what follows we consider only modules of type $`1`$.

It follows from the formulas defining the coproduct in $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ that the tensor product of two type 1 representations is of type 1. Hence the Grothendieck rings of the type 1 finite-dimensional representations of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ carry ring structures. We denote these rings by $`\mathrm{Rep}U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, respectively.

A vector $`v`$ in a $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module (resp., $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module) $`V`$ is called a highest weight vector if $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}^+v=0`$ and $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}^0v=(q)v`$ (resp., $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^+v=0`$ and $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^0v=v`$). If in addition $`V=U_q\widehat{𝔤}v`$ (resp., $`V=U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}v`$), then $`V`$ is called a highest weight representation.

###### Theorem 2.4.

Every irreducible finite-dimensional representation of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a highest weight representation. An irreducible highest weight representation $`V`$ with highest weight vector $`v`$ is finite-dimensional if and only if there exists an $`I`$–tuple of polynomials with constant term $`1`$,

$$𝐏=(P_i(u))_{iI},P_i(u)=\underset{j=1}{\overset{j_i}{}}(1a_{ij}u),a_{ij},$$

such that

$`k_iv=ϵ_i^{\mathrm{deg}P_i}v,\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]v=\left[\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{deg}P_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]_{ϵ_i}v,`$
$`𝒫_i^+(u)v=P_i(u)v,𝒫_i^{}(u)v=\stackrel{~}{P}_i(u)v,`$
where $`\stackrel{~}{P_i}(u)=_{j=1}^{j_i}(1(a_{ij}u)^1)`$.

###### Proof.

In \[CP4\], Proposition 8.1 and Theorem 8.2, the theorem is proved when $`s`$ is odd and $`(s,r^{})=1`$, using the triangular decomposition $`(`$2.4$`)`$ for $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. The same proof applies in general as the decomposition $`(`$2.4$`)`$ does not depend on the choice of $`ϵ`$. ∎

The $`I`$–tuple of polynomials $`𝐏`$ is called the highest weight of $`V`$. We write $`V=V(𝐏)`$ for the irreducible representation $`V`$ with highest weight $`𝐏`$. We refer to the polynomials $`P_i(u)`$ as Drinfeld polynomials.

There is an analogous description of irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules given as highest weight representations given in \[CP2, CP3\]. Namely, irreducible $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules are also classified by highest weights $`𝐏`$, which are $`I`$–tuples of polynomials in $`(q)[u]`$ with constant coefficient $`1`$. We denote the irreducible $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module with highest weight $`𝐏`$ by $`V(𝐏)_q`$.

Let $`\mathrm{\Lambda }=\mathrm{span}_{}\{\omega _1,\mathrm{},\omega _{\mathrm{}}\}`$ be the weight lattice of $`𝔤`$. Recall that $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ carries a partial order. Namely, for $`\lambda ,\lambda ^{}\mathrm{\Lambda }`$, we say that $`\lambda \lambda ^{}`$ if $`\lambda =\lambda ^{}+_{iI}n_i\alpha _i`$, where $`n_i_0`$. This induces a partial order on the set of $`I`$–tuples of polynomials: we say that $`𝐏𝐐`$ if $`_{iI}\omega _i\mathrm{deg}P_i_{iI}\omega _i\mathrm{deg}Q_i`$.

The next proposition shows that all irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ can be obtained as subquotients of specializations of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules, and moreover, the corresponding decomposition matrix is triangular with respect to the above partial order.

###### Proposition 2.5.

Let $`V(𝐏)_q`$ be an irreducible highest weight $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module of dimension $`d`$ with highest vector $`v`$ and highest weight $`𝐏`$, such that $`P_i(u)[q,q^1,u]`$ ($`iI`$). Then $`V(𝐏)_q^{\mathrm{res}}:=U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}v`$ is a free $`[q,q^1]`$–module of rank $`d`$, and

$$V(𝐏)_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}:=V(𝐏)_q^{\mathrm{res}}_{[q,q^1]}_ϵ$$

is a $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module of dimension $`d`$. Moreover, the map

$`e:\mathrm{Rep}U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ $``$ $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤},`$
$`[V(𝐏)_q]`$ $``$ $`[V(𝐏)_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}]`$
is a surjective ring homomorphism, and

(2.5)
$$[V(𝐏)_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}]=[V(𝐏_ϵ)]+\underset{𝐐<𝐏_ϵ}{}m_{𝐐,𝐏_ϵ}[V(𝐐)],m_{𝐐,𝐏_ϵ}_0,$$

where $`𝐏_ϵ`$ is obtained from $`𝐏`$ by substituting $`q=ϵ`$.

###### Proof.

The module $`V(𝐏)_q^{\mathrm{res}}`$ is a free $`[q,q^1]`$–module of rank $`d`$ by Lemma 4.6 i) in \[CP5\].

Since $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a Hopf subalgebra of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, the map $`e`$ is a homomorphism of rings. Since the degrees of the polynomials $`P_i(u)`$ determine the highest weight of $`V(𝐏)_q`$, considered as a $`U_q𝔤`$–module, we obtain that any $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–subquotient occurring in $`[V(𝐏)_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}]`$ has highest weight less than or equal to $`𝐏`$ with respect to our partial order. This proves the surjectivity of $`e`$ and formula (2.5) ∎

Given an irreducible $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$, we call the $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}`$ the specialization of the module $`V`$.

### 2.6. Finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$

A finite-dimensional representation $`V`$ of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is said to be of type 1 if $`k_i,iI`$, act on $`V`$ semi-simply with eigenvalues in $`ϵ_i^{}`$.

A vector $`v`$ in a $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$ is called a highest weight vector if $`x_{i,n}^+v=0`$ for all $`iI,n`$, and

(2.6)
$$\mathrm{\Phi }_i^\pm (u)v=\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)v,\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)[[u^{\pm 1}]](iI).$$

If in addition $`V=U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}v`$, then $`V`$ is called a highest weight representation with highest weight $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u))_{iI}`$. Introduce the notation $`\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Psi }}_i^+(u)=\mathrm{\Psi }_i^+(u)/\mathrm{\Psi }_i^+(0),\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Psi }}_i^{}(u)=\mathrm{\Psi }_i^{}(u)/\mathrm{\Psi }_i^{}(\mathrm{})`$ (these are the eigenvalues of $`k_i^1\mathrm{\Phi }_i^\pm (u)`$ on $`v`$). By Lemma 2.3, the elements $`h_{i,ml_i}`$ act on $`V`$ by $`0`$. Therefore $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)`$ necessarily satisfies the property

(2.7)
$$\underset{j=0}{\overset{l_i1}{}}\stackrel{~}{\mathrm{\Psi }}_i^\pm (uϵ_i^{2j})=1(iI),$$

cf. Section 6.5 of \[BK\]. Note that the commuting elements $`h_{i,n},nml_i`$, are algebraically independent in $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, and hence in $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. Therefore for any choice of $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u))_{iI}`$ satisfying the condition (2.7), there exists a unique irreducible highest weight representation with highest weight $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u))_{iI}`$.

We will say that a polynomial $`P(u)[u]`$ is $`l`$acyclic if it is not divisible by $`(1au^l)`$ (equivalently, the set of roots of $`P(u)`$ does not contain a subset of the form $`\{a,aϵ^2,\mathrm{},aϵ^{2l2}\},a^\times `$, where $`ϵ^2`$ is a primitive root of unity of order $`l`$).

The following statement essentially follows from the results of Beck and Kac \[BK\].

###### Theorem 2.6.

Every irreducible finite-dimensional type 1 representation of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a highest weight representation. An irreducible highest weight representation $`V`$ with highest weight $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u))_{iI}`$ is finite-dimensional if and only if there exists an $`I`$–tuple of polynomials with constant term $`1`$, $`𝐏=(P_i(u))_{iI}`$, where $`P_i(u)`$ is $`l_i`$–acyclic, such that

(2.8) $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)=\gamma _iϵ_i^{\mathrm{deg}P_i}{\displaystyle \frac{P_i(uϵ_i^1)}{P_i(uϵ_i)}},iI,`$
where $`\gamma _i=1`$, if $`ϵ_i`$ has odd order, $`\gamma _i=\pm 1`$, if $`ϵ_i`$ has even order, and by the rational function appearing in the right hand side we understand its expansion in $`u^{\pm 1}`$.

###### Proof.

Theorem 6.3 of \[BK\] describes the so-called diagonal finite-dimensional representations of the non-restricted specialization $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$ (although $`l`$ is assumed in \[BK\] to be odd, the proof of Theorem 6.3 does not depend on this restriction). It states in particular that these representations are highest weight representations. Since we have a surjective homomorphism $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, any irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module gives rise to an irreducible $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$–module. By Lemma 2.3, an irreducible $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$–module obtained by pull-back from an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module is diagonal. Therefore we obtain that every irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module is a highest weight module.

Furthermore, according to Theorem 6.3 of \[BK\], the irreducible highest weight representation of $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$ with highest weight $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u))_{iI}`$ is finite-dimensional if and only if $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)`$ is a rational function

$$f_i(u)=\frac{P_i^{(1)}(u)}{P_i^{(2)}(u)},iI,$$

where $`P_i^{(1)}(u),P_i^{(2)}(u)`$ are two polynomials in $`u`$ of equal degrees with non-zero constant coefficients; $`f_i(u)`$ is regular at $`0`$ and at $`\mathrm{}`$, and $`f_i(0)=f_i(\mathrm{})^1`$.

In addition, the highest weight of an irreducible $`\stackrel{~}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔤}`$–module obtained by pull-back from an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module of type 1 satisfies formula (2.7) and the condition $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^+(0)ϵ_i^{}`$. But then for each $`iI`$ there exists a unique acyclic polynomial $`P_i(u)`$, such that formula (2.8) holds. This completes the proof. ∎

###### Proposition 2.7.

Let $`𝐏=(P_i(u))_{iI}`$ be an $`I`$–tuple of polynomials with constant term $`1`$, such that $`P_i(u)`$ is $`l_i`$–acyclic for each $`iI`$. Then the irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V(𝐏)`$ remains irreducible when restricted to $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

###### Proof.

This statement is proved in Theorem 9.2 of \[CP4\] in the case when the order of $`ϵ`$ is odd (although the algebra $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ in \[CP4\] includes the elements $`P_{i,n}`$, the same proof works for the algebra without the elements $`P_{i,n}`$, as in our definition of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$). For general root of unity $`ϵ`$, one repeats the proof of \[CP4\] replacing $`l`$ by $`l_i`$, where appropriate. ∎

###### Remark 2.8.

Let $`I_{\mathrm{ev}}=\{iI|ϵ_i\text{ has even order}\}`$. The algebra $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ has $`2^{\mathrm{\#}I_{\mathrm{ev}}}`$ non-isomorphic one-dimensional type 1 representations, on which the $`e_i`$’s and $`f_i`$’s act by zero, $`k_iI\backslash I_{\mathrm{ev}}`$ act identitically, and $`k_iI_{\mathrm{ev}}`$ act by multiplication by $`\pm 1`$ (indeed, if $`ϵ_i`$ is a root of unity of an even order $`2l_i`$, then $`ϵ_i^{l_i}=1`$). By Theorem 2.6, any irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module of type 1 is isomorphic to the tensor product of an irreducible module with the highest weight of the form (2.8), where $`\gamma _i=1`$ for all $`iI`$, and a one-dimensional module. Note that in contrast to $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, the algebra $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ has only one one-dimensional type 1 representation for any $`ϵ`$ (namely, the trivial representation).

Proposition 2.7 implies that any irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module may be extended to a $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module, although this $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module may not be of type 1. Furthermore, an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module can be extended to a $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module in a unique way. This follows from the Decomposition Theorem 5.4 (which is proved in this paper under the assumption that $`(l,r^{})=1)`$.

## 3. The $`ϵ`$–characters

### 3.1. Definition

Let $`V`$ be a finite-dimensional representation of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. We have a commutative subalgebra generated by the elements $`k_i`$, $`P_{i,n}^\pm `$ ($`iI`$, $`n`$) acting on $`V`$. Let $`v_1,\mathrm{},v_d`$ be a basis of common generalized eigenvectors of these elements. In what follows we look at the corresponding generalized eigenvalues.

###### Lemma 3.1.

The common eigenvalues of $`𝒫_i^+(u)`$ are rational functions of the form

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_{i,n}^+(u)=\frac{_{j=1}^{j_{in}}(1a_{inj}u)}{_{m=1}^{m_{in}}(1b_{inm}u)},$$

where $`j_{in},m_{in}`$ are non-negative integers and $`a_{inj},b_{inm}`$ are non-zero complex numbers. Moreover, the generalized eigenvalues of $`𝒫_i^{}(u)`$ are

$$\mathrm{\Gamma }_{i,n}^{}(u)=\frac{_{j=1}^{j_{in}}(1(a_{inj}u)^1)}{_{m=1}^{m_{in}}(1(b_{inm}u)^1)},$$

and we have

$$k_iv_n=q^{j_{in}m_{in}}v_n,\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]v_n=\left[\begin{array}{c}j_{in}m_{in}\\ l_i\end{array}\right]_{ϵ_i}v_n.$$

###### Proof.

In the case of $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ the analogous statement follows from Proposition 1 in \[FR\]. Lemma 3.1 then follows from Proposition 2.5. ∎

The $`q`$–character of a $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$ defined in \[FR\] (see also \[FM\]) encodes the generalized eigenvalues of $`𝒫_i^+(u)`$ on $`V`$. It is denoted by $`\chi _q(V)`$ and it takes values in the polynomial ring $`[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$.

Similarly, we define the $`ϵ`$–character of a finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$, denoted by $`\chi _ϵ(V)`$, to be the element of the ring $`[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$ equal to

$$\chi _ϵ(V)=\underset{n=1}{\overset{d}{}}\underset{iI}{}\left(\underset{j=1}{\overset{j_{in}}{}}Y_{i,a_{inj}}\underset{m=1}{\overset{m_{in}}{}}Y_{i,b_{inm}}^1\right).$$

###### Theorem 3.2.

The map

$`\chi _ϵ:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ $``$ $`[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times },`$
$`V`$ $``$ $`\chi _ϵ(V)`$
is an injective homomorphism of rings. Moreover, for any irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$, $`\chi _ϵ(V_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}})`$ is obtained from $`\chi _q(V)`$ by setting $`q`$ equal to $`ϵ`$.

###### Proof.

The first part follows from Theorem 3 in \[FR\] and Proposition 2.5. The second part follows from Proposition 2.5. ∎

In particular, we obtain that the ring $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is commutative.

A monomial $`m[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$ is called dominant if it does not contain factors $`Y_{i,a}`$ in negative powers. The monomial in $`\chi _ϵ(V)`$ corresponding to the highest weight vector is always dominant. We call it the highest weight monomial. The $`i`$-th fundamental representation $`V_{\omega _i}(a)`$ is by definition the irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module whose highest weight monomial is $`Y_{i,a}`$.

Theorems 2.4 and 3.2 imply that the map

$`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ $``$ $`[t_{i,a}]_{iI}^{a^\times },`$
$`V_{\omega _i}(a)`$ $``$ $`t_{i,a}`$
is an isomorphism of rings (cf. the analogous statement in the case of $`\mathrm{Rep}U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ in \[FR\], Corollary 2).

### 3.2. Properties of the $`ϵ`$–characters

Using the definition, Proposition 2.5 and Theorem 3.2, we obtain that the $`ϵ`$–characters satisfy combinatorial properties similar to $`q`$–characters. In this section we list these properties.

We have the ordinary character homomorphism $`\chi :\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤[y_i^{\pm 1}]_{iI}`$: if $`V=_\mu V_\mu `$ is the weight decomposition of $`V`$, then $`\chi (V)=_\mu dimV_\mu y^\mu `$, where for $`\mu =_{iI}\mu _i\omega _i`$ we set $`y^\mu =_{iI}y_i^{\mu _i}`$.

Define the ring homomorphism $`\beta :[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }[y_i^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$ by the rule $`\beta (Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1})=y_i^{\pm 1}`$. We will say that a monomial $`m[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$ has weight $`\mu `$ if $`\beta (m)=y^\mu `$.

###### Lemma 3.3.

The following diagram is commutative:

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}& \stackrel{\chi _ϵ}{}& [Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }\\ \mathrm{res}& & Y_{i,a}y_i& & \\ \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤& \stackrel{\chi }{}& [y_i^{\pm 1}]_{iI}\end{array}$$

Given a subset $`J`$ of $`I`$, denote by $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J`$ the subalgebra of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ generated by $`k_i`$, $`\left[\begin{array}{c}k_i\\ l_i\end{array}\right]`$, $`P_{i,r}`$, $`(x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}`$, $`iJ`$, $`r`$, $`n_0`$. Let $`\beta _J:[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iJ}^{a^\times }`$ be a ring homomorphism defined by the rule $`\beta _J(Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1})=Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}`$ if $`iJ`$ and $`\beta _J(Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1})=1`$ if $`iJ`$. Then we have:

###### Lemma 3.4.

The following diagram is commutative.

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}& \stackrel{\chi _ϵ}{}& [Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }\\ \mathrm{res}& & Y_{i,a}1,iJ& & \\ \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J& \stackrel{\chi _ϵ^J}{}& [Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iJ}^{a^\times }\end{array}$$

Define $`A_{i,a}[Y_{j,b}^{\pm 1}]_{jI}^{b^\times }`$ by the formula

(3.1)
$$A_{i,a}=Y_{i,aϵ_i^1}\left(\underset{j:ji,C_{ji}0}{}A_{i,j;a}\right)Y_{i,aϵ_i},A_{i,j;a}=\{\begin{array}{cc}Y_{j,a}^1& \mathrm{if}C_{ji}=1,\\ Y_{j,aϵ^1}^1Y_{j,aϵ}^1& \mathrm{if}C_{ji}=2,\\ Y_{j,aϵ^2}^1Y_{j,a}^1Y_{j,aϵ^2}^1& \mathrm{if}C_{ji}=3.\end{array}$$

Thus $`\beta (A_{i,a})`$ corresponds to the simple root $`\alpha _i`$.

Using Theorem 4.1 in \[FM\] and Proposition 2.5, we obtain:

###### Proposition 3.5.

Let $`V`$ be an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ module. The $`ϵ`$–character of $`V`$ has the form

$$\chi _ϵ(V)=m_+(1+\underset{p}{}a_pM_p),$$

where $`m_+`$ is the highest weight monomial and for each $`p`$, $`M_p`$ is a product of $`A_{i,c}^1`$, $`iI`$, $`c^\times `$, $`a_p`$ is a nonnegative integer.

Define the rings $`𝒦_i`$, $`iI`$ by the formula

$$𝒦_i=[Y_{j,a}^{\pm 1}]_{jI;ji}^{a^\times }[Y_{i,b}+Y_{i,b}A_{i,bϵ_i}^1]_{b^\times }.$$

Set

$$𝒦=\underset{iI}{}𝒦_i[Y_{j,a}^{\pm 1}]_{jI}^{a^\times }.$$

Corollary 5.7 in \[FM\] and Proposition 2.5 imply:

###### Proposition 3.6.

The image of the $`ϵ`$–character homomorphism equals $`𝒦`$. Therefore

$$\chi _ϵ:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}𝒦$$

is a ring isomorphism.

### 3.3. The $`ϵ`$–characters of the small quantum group $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$

The $`ϵ`$–characters of finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules are defined similarly to the $`ϵ`$–characters of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules. Namely, we consider the generalized eigenvalues $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)`$ of the series $`\mathrm{\Phi }_i^\pm (u)`$ on a given finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`V`$. By Proposition 2.7 and Remark 2.8, any irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules may be represented as the tensor product of the restriction of a type one $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module and a one-dimensional sign representation. Therefore we find from Lemma 3.1 that the generalized eigenvalues $`\mathrm{\Psi }_i^\pm (u)`$ have the form $`(`$2.8$`)`$, where $`P_i(u)=_{j=1}^{j_i}(1a_{ij}u)`$ is an $`l_i`$–acyclic polynomial for each $`iI`$, and for each $`iI`$ the sign $`\gamma _i`$ in $`(`$2.8$`)`$ is the same for all generalized eigenvectors. We attach to a set of common generalized eigenvalues of this form, the monomial $`_{iI}_{j=1}^{j_i}Y_{i,a_{ij}}`$.

Let $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ be the quotient of the Grothendieck ring of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ by the ideal generated by the elements of the form $`[V]1`$, where $`[V]`$ is any non-trivial one-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module. Introduce the notation

$$𝐘_{i,a}:=\underset{j=0}{\overset{l_i1}{}}Y_{i,aϵ_i^{2j}}.$$

Then we obtain an injective ring homomorphism

$$\chi _ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}[Y_{i,a}]_{iI}^{a^\times }/(𝐘_{i,b}1)_{iI}^{b^\times }.$$

Let $`\pi `$ be the ring homomorphism

$`\pi :[Y_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$ $``$ $`[Y_{i,a}]_{iI}^{a^\times }/(𝐘_{i,b}1)_{iI}^{b^\times },`$
$`Y_{i,a}`$ $``$ $`Y_{i,a}.`$
Then we have the following

###### Lemma 3.7.

Let $`V`$ be a finite dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ module with $`ϵ`$–character $`\chi _ϵ(V)`$. Then the following diagram is commutative. $`\chi _ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\left(V|_{U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}}\right)=\pi (\chi _ϵ(V))`$.

Since all irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules may be obtained by restriction from irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules, we see that the study of $`ϵ`$–characters of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules is reduced to the study of $`ϵ`$–characters of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules.

## 4. The Frobenius homomorphism

In this section we introduce the Frobenius homomorphism following Lusztig \[L\], §35. Because in the case of roots of unity of even order this homomorphism is not discussed in detail in the literature (except for \[L\]), we first give a brief overview.

Recall that we denote by $`ϵ`$ a fixed primitive root of unity of order $`s`$. If $`s`$ is an odd number, relatively prime to $`r^{}`$, then we expect that there exists a Frobenius homomorphism $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}U\widehat{𝔤}`$, although we have not been able to locate such a homomorphism in the literature (such a homomorphism has been constructed by Lusztig in \[L1\] in the case of $`U_q𝔤`$ with the above restrictions on $`s`$). If $`s`$ is even, but not divisible by $`4`$ and by $`r^{}`$ (so that $`l`$ is odd and not divisible by $`r^{}`$), then presumably there exists a homomorphism $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. If $`s`$ is even and the above additional conditions are not satisfied, the construction becomes more complicated.

The important aspect of Lusztig’s definition of the Frobenius homomorphism is that it uses the modified quantized enveloping algebra $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ (it is denoted by $`\dot{𝐔}`$ in \[L\]) instead of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. This appears to be necessary in order to give a uniform definition of the Frobenius homomorphism for roots of unity of odd and even orders (subject to some mild restrictions mentioned below). In this section we apply Lusztig’s definition of the Frobenius homomorphism using the modified quantized enveloping algebra $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. However, for the purposes of our paper the difference between $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is inessential, because the category of finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules of type 1 is equivalent to the category of unital $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules.

### 4.1. The modified quantized enveloping algebra

Recall that we denote by $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ the weight lattice of $`𝔤`$. For $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }`$,

$$U_\lambda =U_q\widehat{𝔤}/\underset{iI}{}U_q\widehat{𝔤}(k_iq^{(\alpha _i,\lambda )}).$$

Here we set $`(\alpha _0,\lambda )=(\alpha _{\mathrm{max}},\lambda )`$. Let $`1_\lambda U_\lambda `$ be the image of $`1U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ in $`U_\lambda `$. The space $`U_\lambda `$ is a left $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module. For $`gU_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, we denote by $`g1_\lambda `$ the image of $`g`$ in $`U_\lambda `$.

Set

$$\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}=_{\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }}U_\lambda .$$

This is a $`(q)`$–algebra with multiplication given by

$`1_\lambda 1_\mu `$ $`=`$ $`\delta _{\lambda ,\mu }1_\lambda ,`$
$`x_i^\pm 1_\lambda `$ $`=`$ $`1_{\lambda \pm \alpha _i}x_i^\pm .`$
Now we compare the algebra $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ with the modified quantized enveloping algebra $`\dot{𝐔}`$ defined in \[L\]. The latter is assigned to a root datum, which consists of two lattices $`X,Y`$, a set $`I`$, a pairing $`,:Y\times X`$, a bilinear form $`:[I]\times [I]`$, and embeddings $`IX,IY`$ satisfying the conditions listed in \[L\], §§1.1.1, 2.2.1.

We take as $`I`$ the set $`\widehat{I}`$ of vertices of the Dynkin diagram of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$, as $`X`$ the weight lattice $`\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ of $`𝔤`$ (spanned by $`\omega _i,iI`$), and as $`Y`$ the coroot lattice $`Q^{}`$ of $`𝔤`$ (spanned by $`\alpha _i^{},iI`$). The pairing between $`X`$ and $`Y`$ is defined by the formula $`\alpha _i^{},\omega _j=\delta _{ij}`$ for all $`i,jI`$. The bilinear form on $`[\widehat{I}]`$ is defined by the formula $`ij=(\alpha _i,\alpha _j)`$ for $`i,j0`$, $`0j=(\alpha _{\mathrm{max}},\alpha _j)`$ for $`j0`$ and $`00=(\alpha _{\mathrm{max}},\alpha _{\mathrm{max}})`$. The embedding $`\widehat{I}X`$ is defined by the formula $`i\alpha _i,i0;0\alpha _{\mathrm{max}}`$. The embedding $`\widehat{I}Y`$ is defined by the formula $`i\alpha _i^{},i0;0\alpha _{\mathrm{max}}^{}`$. Attached to these data are associative algebras over $`(q)`$, $`𝐔`$ and $`\dot{𝐔}`$, defined in \[L\] (see §3.1.1, §23.1.1, and Corollary 33.1.5). Straightforward and explicit comparison gives:

###### Lemma 4.1.

The algebra $`𝐔`$ is isomorphic to the algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ extended by the elements $`k_i^{1/r_i},i\widehat{I}`$. The algebra $`\dot{𝐔}`$ is isomorphic to the algebra $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$.

A representation of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ is called unital if $`_{\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }}1_\lambda `$ acts on it as the identity (note that the infinite sum $`_\lambda 1_\lambda `$ is a well-defined operator on any $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module). We will consider only finite-dimensional unital $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules. These are the finite-dimensional $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules, which do not contain subspaces of positive dimension on which $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ acts by $`0`$.

Let $`V`$ be a finite-dimensional unital representation of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$. Then using the projectors $`1_\lambda `$, we obtain a decomposition $`V=_{\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }}V_\lambda `$. We define a $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module structure on $`V`$ by the rule $`gv=g1_\lambda v`$ for $`gU_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, $`vV_\lambda `$.

Conversely, if $`V`$ is a type 1 finite-dimensional $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module, then we have the weight decomposition $`V=_\lambda V_\lambda `$. Define the action of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ in $`V`$ by letting $`1_\lambda `$ act as the identity on $`V_\lambda `$ and by zero on $`V_\mu `$, $`\mu \lambda `$.

Hence we obtain the following result (cf. \[L\], §23.1.4):

###### Lemma 4.2.

The category of finite-dimensional $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules of type 1 is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional unital $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules.

Note that strictly speaking $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ is not a Hopf algebra. However, we define tensor product of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules using Lemma 4.2, see also \[L\], §23.1.5.

The automorphisms $`T_i`$ on $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ induce automorphisms of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, which we also denote by $`T_i`$.

### 4.2. Specialization to the root of unity

Next we define $`\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ as the $`[q,q^1]`$–subalgebra of $`\dot{U}_q\widehat{𝔤}`$, generated by the elements $`(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}1_\lambda ,i\widehat{I},n0,\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }`$. Note that we have the following relations in $`\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$,

$$(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}1_\lambda =1_{\lambda \pm n\alpha _i}(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}.$$

Then we set $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}=\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_{[q,q^1]}_ϵ`$.

###### Lemma 4.3.

The algebras $`\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ are generated by $`(x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}1_\lambda ,iI,r,n0,\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }`$.

If $`JI`$, then the maps

$$\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤},\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤},$$

$$(x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}1_\lambda (x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}1_\lambda ,iJ,r,n_{>0}$$

extend to injective algebra homomorphisms. Here we extended a weight $`\lambda `$ of $`\widehat{𝔤}_J`$ to a weight of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ by the rule $`\alpha _i^{},\lambda =0`$ if $`iIJ`$.

###### Proof.

This lemma follows from Theorem 2.2 and the commutation relations in $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$. ∎

### 4.3. Definition of the Frobenius homomorphism

Recall that $`ϵ^s=1`$, $`l=s`$ if $`s`$ is odd and $`l=s/2`$ if $`s`$ is even.

From now on, we impose the following restrictions on $`s`$. First we assume that $`s>2`$ (if $`s=1,2`$ then the Frobenius homomorphism is just the identity map). Next, in this section we exclude from consideration the case $`\widehat{𝔤}=\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ because of condition 35.1.2 b) in \[L\]. We will deal with it in Section 4.4. Finally, due to condition 35.1.2 a) in \[L\] we assume that $`l2,4`$ in the case $`r^{}=2`$, and $`l2,3,6`$ in the case $`r^{}=3`$.

In what follows a weight $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }`$ is called $`l`$–admissible if $`\alpha _i^{},\lambda `$ is divisible by $`l_i`$ for all $`l`$. In other words, $`\lambda `$ is $`l`$–admissible if $`\lambda =_{iI}a_i\omega _i`$, where each $`a_i`$ is divisible by $`l_i`$. Denote the lattice of all $`l`$–admissible weights by $`\mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$, and for each $`\lambda =_{iI}a_i\omega _i\mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$, denote by $`\lambda /𝐥`$ the weight $`_{iI}(a_i/l_i)\omega _i`$.

In \[L\], §35.1.6 an algebra $`\dot{𝐔}^{}`$ over $`[q,q^1]`$ is introduced. It is defined in the same way as $`\dot{𝐔}`$ with respect to the Cartan datum dual to the Cartan datum used in the definition of $`\dot{𝐔}`$ (see \[L\], §2.2.5). Let $`R`$ be a $`[q,q^1]`$–module, on which the operator of multiplication by $`q`$ has order $`s`$. Set $`{}_{R}{}^{}\dot{𝐔}=\dot{𝐔}_{[q,q^1]}R,{}_{R}{}^{}\dot{𝐔}=\dot{𝐔}{}_{}{}^{}_{[q,q^1]}^{}R`$. Then by Theorem 35.1.9 in \[L\], there exists an algebra homomorphism $`{}_{R}{}^{}\dot{𝐔}{}_{R}{}^{}\dot{𝐔}^{}`$.

In the case at hand this result translates as follows. If $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$, define $`{}_{}{}^{}\dot{U}_{ϵ}^{}\widehat{𝔤}`$ to be $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$, where $`ϵ^{}=ϵ^{l^2}`$. If $`l`$ is divisible by $`r^{}`$, define $`{}_{}{}^{}\dot{U}_{ϵ}^{}\widehat{𝔤}`$ to be $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^L`$, where $`ϵ^{}=ϵ^{l^2/r^{}}`$. Here $`\widehat{𝔤}^L`$ is the twisted affine Kac-Moody algebra, whose Cartan matrix is the transpose of the Cartan matrix of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$. The algebra $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}^L`$ is defined in the same way as $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ above (using the Drinfeld-Jimbo realization, with the generators labeled in a way compatible with the labeling of the generators of $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$).

Then there exists an algebra homomorphism

$`\mathrm{Fr}:\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ $``$ $`{}_{}{}^{}\dot{U}_{ϵ}^{}\widehat{𝔤},`$
$`(x_i^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda `$ $``$ $`(\overline{x}_i^\pm )^{(m/l_i)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /𝐥},m/l_i,\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l,`$
$`(x_i^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda `$ $``$ $`0,\mathrm{otherwise}.`$
Here and below we put a bar over the elements of the target algebra to avoid confusion.

The homomorphism $`\mathrm{Fr}`$ is called the quantum Frobenius homomorphism.

###### Remark 4.4.

In \[L\], the algebra $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$ is defined over $`(q)`$ and the algebra $`U_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is defined over $`[q,q^1]`$. However, all of the results of \[L\] referred to above, remain valid if we replace $`(q)`$ by $`(q)`$ and $`[q,q^1]`$ by $`[q,q^1]`$.

The defining relations of the algebra $`\dot{𝐔}`$ used in \[L\] are strictly speaking different from those used here. Namely, the relations between the generators $`x_i^+,i\widehat{I}`$ (and $`x_i^{},i\widehat{I}`$) are described in \[L\] in terms of a certain bilinear form (see \[L\], §§1.2.3, 1.2.4) instead of the quantum Serre relations that we use here. However, it is known that the quantum Serre relations are included into these relations (see \[L\], §1.4), and therefore there is a surjective homomorphism $`\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\dot{𝐔}`$. When $`q=1`$, this homomorphism is actually an isomorphism by a theorem of Gabber–Kac, and the same is true for $`q=1`$ by \[L\], §33.2 (unless $`\widehat{𝔤}=\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ which we have excluded from consideration in this subsection). The homomorphism $`\mathrm{Fr}`$ is the composition of the homomorphism $`\dot{U}_q^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\dot{𝐔}`$ with the Frobenius homomorphism from \[L\], Theorem 35.1.9 (when $`R=_ϵ`$).∎

In order to avoid twisted quantum affine algebras, we assume from now on that $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$. We will describe the $`q`$–characters of twisted quantum affine algebras and the Frobenius homomorphism involving them in a separate paper.

Since $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$, we have: $`ϵ_i=ϵ`$ and $`l_i=l`$ for all $`i\widehat{I}`$. Therefore $`\mathrm{\Lambda }_l=l\mathrm{\Lambda }`$ and $`\lambda /𝐥=\lambda /l`$ for $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$.

Note that $`ϵ^{}=ϵ^{l^2}`$ is equal to $`1`$ if $`l`$ is odd and $`s=l`$, or if $`l`$ is even, and to $`1`$ if $`l`$ is odd and $`s=2l`$. Note also that $`ϵ^{}=(ϵ)^l`$. By Proposition 33.2.3 in \[L\], the algebras $`\dot{U}_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`\dot{U}_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ are isomorphic if $`\widehat{𝔤}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$.

In the same way as in the proof of Lemma 4.2 we obtain the following result (see the beginning of Section 2.5 for the definition of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules of type 1).

###### Lemma 4.5.

The category of finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules of type 1 is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional unital $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules.

Therefore, the quantum Frobenius homomorphism induces a map of Grothendieck rings

$$\mathrm{Fr}^{}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}.$$

By \[L\], §35.1.10, this map is a ring homomorphism.

###### Lemma 4.6.

We have $`\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda )=0`$ if $`m`$ is not divisible by $`l`$ or if $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$. For $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$,

$$\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(nl)}1_\lambda )=\{\begin{array}{cc}(\overline{x}_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l},& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{odd}\\ o(i)^{nr}(\overline{x}_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l},& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{even}.\end{array}$$

###### Proof.

We use the fact that the automorphisms $`T_i,i\widehat{I}`$, commute with the Frobenius homomorphism (see \[L\], §41.1.9), and so do the automorphisms $`\sigma `$ of the Dynkin diagram of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ (see Section 2.2). Hence the automorphisms $`T_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i},iI`$, also commute with the Frobenius homomorphism. From this we find:

$`\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda )=\mathrm{Fr}(o(i)^{mr}T_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i}^r(x_i^\pm )^{(m)}1_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i^{\pm r}(\lambda )})=`$
$`=o(i)^{mr}\overline{T}_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i}^r\mathrm{Fr}((x_i^\pm )^{(m)}1_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i^{\pm r}(\lambda )}).`$
So, it is zero if $`m`$ is not divisible by $`l`$ or if $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$. If $`m=nl`$ we obtain

$`\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda )=o(i)^{mr}\overline{T}_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i}^r(\overline{x}_i^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\stackrel{ˇ}{\omega }_i^{\pm r}(\lambda )/l}=`$
$`=o(i)^{mr+nr}(\overline{x}_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l}.`$
If $`l`$ is odd then $`m`$ and $`n`$ have the same parity, and all the signs cancel. If $`l`$ is even, then $`m`$ is also even, and we acquire the sign $`o(i)^{nr}`$. ∎

### 4.4. The case $`\widehat{𝔤}=\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$

Let now $`\widehat{𝔤}=\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$. We define the Frobenius homomorphism $`\mathrm{Fr}:\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}\dot{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ using the generators $`(x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(m)}`$ as in Lemma 4.6:

$`\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(nl)}1_\lambda )`$ $`=`$ $`\{\begin{array}{cc}(\overline{x}_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l}& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{odd},\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l,\\ o(i)^{nr}(\overline{x}_{i,r}^\pm )^{(n)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l}& l\mathrm{is}\mathrm{even},\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l\end{array}`$
and $`\mathrm{Fr}((x_{i,r}^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda )=0`$ if $`m`$ is not divisible by $`l`$ or $`\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l`$.

###### Lemma 4.7.

These formulas give rise to a well-defined homomorphism of algebras. Moreover, the induced map $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a ring homomorphism.

###### Proof.

We embed the Dynkin diagram of $`\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ into the Dynkin diagram of $`\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}`$ in such a way that the numbers $`o(i)`$ coincide. By Lemma 4.3, we have the corresponding embeddings $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}\stackrel{}{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}`$ and $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}`$. It follows from Lemma 4.6 that the image of $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ under the Frobenius homomorphism $`\dot{U}_ϵ\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}`$ is contained in $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$. Hence we obtain an algebra homomorphism $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}\dot{U}_ϵ^{}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$, given by the above formula. The lemma follows. ∎

By a direct computation similar to the one used in the proof of Lemma 4.6 we obtain the following formulas for the Frobenius homomorphism in the case of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}`$ in terms of the Drinfeld-Jimbo generators.

###### Lemma 4.8.

Let $`\widehat{𝔤}=\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n1}`$, then

$`\mathrm{Fr}((x_i^\pm )^{(m)}1_\lambda )`$ $`=`$ $`(\overline{x}_i^\pm )^{(m/l)}\overline{1}_{\lambda /l},m/l,\lambda \mathrm{\Lambda }_l,i\widehat{I},`$
$`\mathrm{Fr}((x_i^\pm )^{(m)}\overline{1}_\lambda )`$ $`=`$ $`0,\mathrm{otherwise}.`$
## 5. Frobenius homomorphism and $`ϵ`$–characters

### 5.1. Properties of the Frobenius homomorphism

Recall the automorphism $`\tau _a`$ defined by formula (2.3). It gives rise to an automorphism of $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ in an obvious way. Using Lemma 4.6, we obtain:

###### Lemma 5.1.

We have: $`\mathrm{Fr}\tau _a=\tau _{a^l}\mathrm{Fr}`$. In particular, $`\mathrm{Fr}\tau _{ϵ^2}=\mathrm{Fr}`$.

Denote by $`\tau _a^{}`$ the endomorphism of $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ induced by $`\tau _a`$. The next lemma follows from Lemmas 4.3 and 4.6.

###### Lemma 5.2.

Let $`JI`$ correspond to a Dynkin subgraph of $`𝔤`$ and let $`g_J`$ be the corresponding Lie algebra. If the functions $`o(i)`$ for diagrams $`I`$ and $`J`$ coincide or $`l`$ is odd, then the following diagram is commutative.

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\\ \mathrm{res}& & \mathrm{res}& & \\ \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}_J^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J\end{array}$$

If the functions $`o(i)`$ for diagrams $`I`$ and $`J`$ do not coincide and $`l`$ is even then $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}\overline{\tau }_1^{}=\tau _ϵ\mathrm{Fr}^{}`$ and the following diagram is commutative.

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\\ \mathrm{res}& & \mathrm{res}& & \\ \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}^{}\overline{\tau }_1^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}_J\end{array}$$

The algebras $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$, $`\dot{U}_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤`$ and the corresponding Frobenius map are defined similarly to the affine case. Then the following property follows immediately from the definitions in terms of the Drinfeld-Jimbo generators.

###### Lemma 5.3.

The following diagram is commutative:

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\\ \mathrm{res}& & \mathrm{res}& & \\ \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤& \stackrel{\mathrm{Fr}^{}}{}& \mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}𝔤\end{array}$$

### 5.2. The decomposition theorem

For a polynomial $`P(u)`$ with constant term 1, define polynomials with constant term 1, $`P^0(u)`$ and $`P^1(u)`$, to be such that $`P(u)=P^0(u)P^1(u)`$, $`P^0(u)`$ is not divisible by $`1au^l`$, for any $`a^\times `$ and $`P^1(u)=R(u^l)`$ for some polynomial $`R`$. If $`𝐏=(P_i(u))_{iI}`$, we write: $`𝐏^0=(P_i^0(u))_{iI}`$ and $`𝐏^1=(P_i^1(u))_{iI}`$.

Let $`V`$ be a $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ module. We call the $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V)`$ obtained by pull-back of $`V`$ via the quantum Frobenius homomorphism the Frobenius pull-back of $`V`$.

###### Theorem 5.4.

Let $`V(𝐏)`$ be an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ module with Drinfeld polynomials $`𝐏`$. Then $`V(𝐏)V(𝐏^0)V(𝐏^1)`$. Moreover $`V(𝐏^1)`$ is the Frobenius pull-back of an irreducible $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module and $`V(𝐏^0)`$ is irreducible over $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

###### Proof.

This theorem is proved in \[CP4\], Theorems 9.1–9.3, in the case when $`ϵ`$ is a root of unity of odd order (i.e., $`s=l`$ and $`l`$ is odd). The proof given in \[CP4\] goes through for other $`l`$ (under our assumption that $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$) with the following changes: Lemma 9.5 of \[CP4\] should be replaced by Lemma 4.6 and the diagram (49) of \[CP4\] in the case of even $`l`$ should be replaced by the identity $`\mathrm{Fr}ev_b=ev_{(ϵb)^l}\mathrm{Fr}`$ (which is proved in the same way as the commutativity of the diagram (49)). Finally, the proof uses the description of the Drinfeld polynomials of the Frobenius pull-backs of irreducible $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}`$–modules. These Drinfeld polynomials are determined in Theorem 5.7 below. ∎

Theorem 5.4 and Proposition 2.7 imply:

###### Corollary 5.5.

There is an isomorphism of vector spaces

$$\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}.$$

The decomposition in Corollary 5.5 is not a decomposition of rings. However, the Frobenius map $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ is a ring homomorphism. Therefore we have a natural ring structure on the quotient of $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ by its ideal generated by the augmentation ideal of $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$. By Corollary 5.5, this quotient is isomorphic to $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ as a vector space. We call the induced multiplication on $`\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ the factorized tensor product. It would be interesting to extend it to the level of the category of finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

The statement of Theorem 5.4 remains true in the case when $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$. However, in the course of proving it we need to use information about the Frobenius homomorphism which in that case takes values in the (modified) twisted quantum affine algebra. This case will be discussed in a separate paper.

### 5.3. The $`ϵ`$–characters of the Frobenius pull-backs

Recall the notation

$$𝐘_{i,a}:=\underset{j=0}{\overset{l1}{}}Y_{i,aϵ^{2j}}.$$

Note that because $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$, and hence by $`r_i`$, we have: $`𝐘_{i,a}=_{j=0}^{l1}Y_{1,aϵ_i^{2j}}`$. The monomial $`𝐘_{i,a}`$ corresponds to the polynomial $`(1a^lu^l)`$.

Note that we have a homomorphism $`\chi _ϵ^{}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}[\overline{Y}_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^{a^\times }`$.

###### Lemma 5.6.

Let $`V`$ be an irreducible representation of $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_2`$ with Drinfeld polynomial $`\overline{P}(u)`$. Then the Drinfeld polynomial of $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V)`$ is $`P(u)=\overline{P}(u^l)`$, if $`l`$ is odd, and $`\overline{P}(o(1)u^l)`$, if $`l`$ is even.

Moreover, $`\chi _ϵ(\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V))`$ is obtained from $`\chi _ϵ^{}(V)`$ by replacing $`\overline{Y}_{1,a^l}^{\pm 1}`$ with $`𝐘_{1,a}^{\pm 1}`$, if $`l`$ is odd, and with $`𝐘_{1,aϵ^{\theta (1)}}^{\pm 1}`$, where $`\theta (1)=(1o(1))/2`$, if $`l`$ is even.

###### Proof.

Note that if $`a^l=b^l`$ then $`(a/b)^l=1`$ and $`𝐘_{i,a}=𝐘_{i,b}`$. Therefore the rule described in the theorem is unambiguously defined.

Recall that

$$\mathrm{Fr}^{}:\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_2\mathrm{Rep}U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_2,$$

as well as $`\chi _ϵ`$ and $`\chi _ϵ^{}`$, are ring homomorphisms. Since the ring $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_2`$ is generated by the fundamental representation $`V_{\omega _1}(a)`$, it is sufficient to prove the lemma when $`V=V_{\omega _1}(a)`$.

In this case the Drinfeld polynomial is $`\overline{P}(u)=1au`$. Let $`v`$ be the highest weight vector in $`V`$ and $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V_{\omega _1}(a)))`$. By Lemma 5.1 in \[CP4\], we obtain:

$$(1)^mϵ^{m^2+m}k^mP_mv=(x_{1,0}^+)^{(m)}(x_{1,1}^{})^{(m)}v.$$

(Note that $`P_m`$ in this paper differs from $`P_m`$ in \[CP2\] by the factor $`q^m`$.) So, $`P_mv=0`$ unless $`m`$ is divisible by $`l`$.

If $`m=nl`$, then for odd $`l`$ we obtain:

$$(x_{1,0}^+)^{(m)}(x_{1,1}^{})^{(m)}v=(\overline{x}_{1,0}^+)^{(n)}(\overline{x}_{1,1}^{})^{(n)}v=(1)^n(ϵ^{l^2})^{n^2+n}\overline{k}^n\overline{P}_nv.$$

We have: $`\overline{P}_nv=0`$, unless $`n=1`$, and $`\overline{P}_1v=av`$. In addition, $`\overline{k}v=ϵ^{l^2}v,kv=ϵ^lv`$. Hence we find: $`P_m=0`$, unless $`m=l`$, and $`P_lv=av`$.

For even $`l`$ we obtain:

$$(x_{1,0}^+)^{(m)}(x_{1,1}^{})^{(m)}v=o(1)^n(\overline{x}_{1,0}^+)^{(n)}(\overline{x}_{1,1}^{})^{(n)}v=(1)^no(1)^n(ϵ^{l^2})^{n^2+n}\overline{k}^n\overline{P}_nv.$$

We have: $`\overline{P}_nv=0`$ unless $`n=1`$, and $`\overline{P}_1v=av`$. Hence we find that $`P_m=0`$, unless $`m=l`$, and $`P_lv=o(1)av`$.

It remains to determine the $`ϵ`$–character of $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V_{\omega _1}(a^l))`$. Consider the case when $`l`$ is odd. Since the Drinfeld polynomial of this module is $`1a^lu^l`$, we find that the highest weight monomial is $`𝐘_{1,a}`$. By Proposition 2.5 and Theorem 3.2, the other monomial in it must be obtained by specialization of a monomial in the $`q`$–character of the irreducible $`U_q\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_2`$–module with the highest weight monomial $`_{j=0}^{l1}Y_{1,aq^{2j}}`$. Moreover, by Lemma 3.3, the degree of this monomial must be equal to $`l`$. There is only one monomial of such degree, i.e., the lowest weight monomial, and it is equal to $`_{j=0}^{l1}Y_{1,aq^{2j+2}}^1`$. Therefore we obtain that the $`ϵ`$–character of $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V_{\omega _1}(a^l))`$ is equal to $`𝐘_{i,a}+𝐘_{i,a}^1`$. On the other hand, we have: $`\chi _ϵ^{}(V_{\omega _1}(a^l))=\overline{Y}_{1,a^l}+\overline{Y}_{1,a^l}^1`$, cf. Section 5.4, and the second assertion of the lemma follows for odd $`l`$.

If $`l`$ is even, we obtain by the same argument that the $`ϵ`$–character of $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V_{\omega _1}(a^l))`$ is equal to $`𝐘_{i,aϵ^{\theta (1)}}+𝐘_{i,aϵ^{\theta (1)}}^1`$. This proves the second assertion of the lemma for even $`l`$. ∎

We can now obtain the description of the $`ϵ`$–characters of Frobenius pull-backs for general $`𝔤`$. Recall that we are under the assumption that $`l`$ is relatively prime to $`r^{}`$.

Set $`\theta (i)=(1o(i))/2`$.

###### Theorem 5.7.

Let $`V`$ be an irreducible representation of $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ with Drinfeld polynomials $`P_i(u),iI`$. Then the $`i`$-th Drinfeld polynomial of $`\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V)`$ is equal to $`P_i(u^l)`$, if $`l`$ is odd, and to $`P_i(o(i)u^l)`$ if $`l`$ is even.

Moreover, if $`l`$ is odd, then $`\chi _ϵ(\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V))`$ is obtained from $`\chi _ϵ^{}(V)`$ by replacing $`\overline{Y}_{i,a^l}^{\pm 1}`$ with $`𝐘_{i,a}^{\pm 1}`$. If $`l`$ is even, then $`\chi _ϵ(\mathrm{Fr}^{}(V))`$ is obtained from $`\chi _ϵ^{}(V)`$ by replacing $`\overline{Y}_{i,a^l}^{\pm 1}`$ with $`𝐘_{i,aϵ^{\theta (i)}}^{\pm 1}`$.

###### Proof.

Restricting to the subalgebras $`U_{ϵ_i}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰}𝔩_2U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ and using Lemmas 5.2 and 3.4, we obtain the statement of the theorem from Lemma 5.6. ∎

Theorem 5.7 allows us to write down explicit formulas for the $`ϵ`$–characters of Frobenius pull-backs from the $`ϵ^{}`$–characters of irreducible $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules, which we now set out to determine.

### 5.4. The $`ϵ^{}`$–characters of irreducible $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules

First, we consider the case when $`ϵ^{}=1`$ (i.e., $`l`$ is odd and $`s=l`$, or $`l`$ is even). There is a surjective homomorphism $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}U\widehat{𝔤}`$ (where $`U\widehat{𝔤}`$ is the universal enveloping algebra of $`\widehat{𝔤}=𝔤[t,t^1]`$), which sends the generators $`(x_i^\pm )^{(n)}`$ of $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ to the corresponding generators of $`U\widehat{𝔤}`$. In fact, this map gives rise to an isomorphism between $`U\widehat{𝔤}`$ and the quotient of $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ by the ideal generated by the central elements $`(K_i1),iI`$ (see \[CP2\], Proposition 9.3.10). Hence the category of finite-dimensional type 1 $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional $`\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules, on which the Cartan subalgebra $`𝔥𝔤\widehat{𝔤}`$ acts diagonally (we call them weight modules).

The description of irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ is as follows \[C, CP1\]. Consider the “evaluation homomorphism” $`\varphi _a:\widehat{𝔤}=𝔤[t,t^1]𝔤`$ corresponding to evaluating a Laurent polynomial in $`t`$ at a point $`a^\times `$. For an irreducible $`𝔤`$–module $`V_\lambda `$ with highest weight $`\lambda `$, let $`V_\lambda (a)`$ be its pull-back under $`\varphi _a`$ to an irreducible representation of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$. Then $`V_{\lambda _1}(a_1)\mathrm{}V_{\lambda _n}(a_n)`$ is irreducible if $`a_ia_j,ij`$, and these are all irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`\widehat{𝔤}`$ up to an isomorphism.

Therefore in order to obtain $`\chi _1(V)`$ for an arbitrary irreducible $`U_ϵ^{}^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module, it suffices to know $`\chi _1(V_\lambda (a))`$. Those is found by explicitly computing the image of $`𝒫_i^\pm (u)`$ under the evaluation homomorphism. The answer is the following. Let $`\chi (V_\lambda )`$ be the ordinary character of the $`𝔤`$–module $`V_\lambda `$, considered as a polynomial in $`y_i^{\pm 1},iI`$, as in Section 3.2.

###### Lemma 5.8.

$`\chi _1(V_\lambda (a))`$ is obtained from $`\chi (V_\lambda )`$ by replacing each $`y_i^{\pm 1}`$ with $`\overline{Y}_{i,a}^{\pm 1}`$.

Combining this statement with Theorem 5.7, we obtain a complete description of the $`ϵ`$–characters of irreducible Frobenius pull-backs in the case when $`ϵ^{}=1`$.

Next, consider the case when $`ϵ^{}=1`$ (i.e., $`s=2l`$ and $`l`$ is odd). Introduce a function $`\psi :I\{\pm 1\}`$ by the rule: $`\psi (i)\psi (j)`$, whenever $`ij`$, $`(\alpha _i,\alpha _j)0`$, and $`\mathrm{min}\{r_i,r_j\}=1`$. We fix this function by the requirement that $`o(i)=\psi (i)`$ if $`r_i=1`$.

We say that a monomial $`m[\overline{Y}_{i,a}^{\pm 1}]_{iI,a^\times }`$ is supported at $`a_0^\times `$ if $`m[\overline{Y}_{i,a_0\psi (i)}^{\pm 1}]_{iI,k}`$. Any monomial can be written in a unique way as a product of monomials supported at some $`a_1,\mathrm{},a_k^\times `$, $`a_ia_j`$.

###### Lemma 5.9.

Let $`V`$ be an irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module (of type 1), such that the highest weight monomial in $`\chi _1(V)`$ is the product $`m_1\mathrm{}m_k`$, where $`m_i`$ is a monomial supported at $`a_i^\times `$ and has weight $`\lambda _i`$. Assume that all $`a_i`$ are distinct, $`a_ia_j`$. Then $`VV_1\mathrm{}V_k`$, where $`V_i`$ is an irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–module with highest weight monomial $`m_i`$.

Moreover, let $`m_i`$ have weight $`\lambda _i`$. Then $`\chi _1(V_i)`$ is obtained from the ordinary character $`\chi (V_{\lambda _i})`$ of the irreducible $`𝔤`$–module $`V_\lambda `$, by replacing each $`y_i^{\pm 1}`$ with $`\overline{Y}_{i,a\psi (i)}^{\pm 1}`$.

###### Proof.

According to \[L\], Proposition 33.2.3, the algebras $`\dot{U}_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ and $`\dot{U}_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ are isomorphic, if $`𝔤𝔰𝔩_{2n+1}`$. Therefore the category of type 1 finite-dimensional $`\dot{U}_1^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules is isomorphic to the category of weight $`\widehat{𝔤}`$–modules. The statement of the lemma is obtained by combining this fact with Theorem 3.2 and the following result about $`\chi _q`$–characters, which follows from \[FM\], Corollary 6.4:

Set $`\phi (i)=(1+\psi (i))/2`$. Suppose that $`V`$ is an irreducible $`U_q\widehat{𝔤}`$–module, such that the highest weight monomial $`m`$ in $`\chi _q(V)`$ belongs to $`[Y_{i,a_0q^{\phi (i)+2k}}]_{iI}^k`$. Then all other monomials in $`\chi _q(V)`$ belong to $`[Y_{i,a_0q^{\phi (i)+2k}}^{\pm 1}]_{iI}^k`$.

In the case of $`𝔤=𝔰𝔩_{2n+1}`$, we use the inclusion $`U_1\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+1}U_1\widehat{𝔰𝔩}_{2n+2}`$ and Lemma 5.9 follows from Lemma 3.4. ∎

Combining this lemma with Theorem 5.7, we obtain a complete description of the $`ϵ`$–characters of irreducible Frobenius pull-backs in the case when $`ϵ^{}=1`$.

These results together with Theorem 5.4 reduce the problem of calculating the $`ϵ`$–characters of irreducible finite-dimensional representations of $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔤}`$ to the problem of calculating $`ϵ`$–characters of those representations which remain irreducible when restricted to the subalgebra $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{fin}}\widehat{𝔤}`$.

In particular, we obtain explicit formulas for the $`ϵ`$–characters of all irreducible finite-dimensional $`U_ϵ^{\mathrm{res}}\widehat{𝔰}𝔩_2`$–modules (cf. \[CP4\], Theorem 9.6). We conjecture that in the case when $`s>2`$ the $`ϵ`$–characters of irreducible modules can be constructed by applying the algorithm described in Section 5.5 of \[FM\].