Geometric invariant theory and stretched Kostka quasi-polynomials

Marc Besson, Sam Jeralds and Joshua Kiers

Abstract

For $G$ a simple, simply-connected complex algebraic group and two dominant integral weights $\lambda ,\mu$, we consider the dimensions of weight spaces $V_{\lambda }(\mu )$ of weight $\mu$ in the irreducible, finite-dimensional highest weight $\lambda$ representation. For natural numbers $N$, the function $N\mapsto \dim V_{N\lambda }(N\mu )$ is quasi-polynomial in $N$, the stretched Kostka quasi-polynomial. Using methods of geometric invariant theory (GIT), we compute the degree of this quasi-polynomial, resolving a conjecture of Gao and Gao. We also discuss periods of this quasi-polynomial determined by the GIT approach, and give computational evidence supporting a geometric determination of the minimal period.

AMS Subject Classification: Primary 22E46; secondary 17B10, 14L24, 14M15.