"Most of these topics appear here for the first time in book form. Many of them are interesting even in the classical case of semi-simple algebraic groups. Some appendices recall useful results from other areas, so the work may be considered self-contained, although some familiarity with semi-simple Lie algebras or algebraic groups is helpful. It is clear that this book is a valuable reference for all those interested in flag varieties and representation theory in the semi-simple or Kac-Moody case." —MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS "A lot of different topics are treated in this monumental work. . . . many of the topics of the book will be useful for those only interested in the finite-dimensional case. The book is self contained, but is on the level of advanced graduate students. . . . For the motivated reader who is willing to spend considerable time on the material, the book can be a gold mine. " —ZENTRALBLATT MATH

Kac-Moody Lie algebras 9 were introduced in the mid-1960s independently by V. Kac and R. Moody, generalizing the finite-dimensional semisimple Lie alge bras which we refer to as the finite case. The theory has undergone tremendous developments in various directions and connections with diverse areas abound, including mathematical physics, so much so that this theory has become a stan dard tool in mathematics. A detailed treatment of the Lie algebra aspect of the theory can be found in V. Kac's book [Kac-90l This self-contained work treats the algebro-geometric and the topological aspects of Kac-Moody theory from scratch. The emphasis is on the study of the Kac-Moody groups 9 and their flag varieties XY, including their detailed construction, and their applications to the representation theory of g. In the finite case, 9 is nothing but a semisimple Y simply-connected algebraic group and X is the flag variety 9 /Py for a parabolic subgroup p y C g.

Kac-Moody Lie algebras 9 were introduced in the mid-1960s independently by V. Kac and R. Moody, generalizing the finite-dimensional semisimple Lie alge bras which we refer to as the finite case. The theory has undergone tremendous developments in various directions and connections with diverse areas abound, including mathematical physics, so much so that this theory has become a stan dard tool in mathematics. A detailed treatment of the Lie algebra aspect of the theory can be found in V. Kac's book [Kac-90l This self-contained work treats the algebro-geometric and the topological aspects of Kac-Moody theory from scratch. The emphasis is on the study of the Kac-Moody groups 9 and their flag varieties XY, including their detailed construction, and their applications to the representation theory of g. In the finite case, 9 is nothing but a semisimple Y simply-connected algebraic group and X is the flag variety 9 /Py for a parabolic subgroup p y C g.

This volume records most of the talks given at the Conference on Infinite-dimensional Groups held at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at Berkeley, California, May 10-May 15, 1984, as a part of the special program on Kac-Moody Lie algebras. The purpose of the conference was to review recent developments of the theory of infinite-dimensional groups and its applications. The present collection concentrates on three very active, interrelated directions of the field: general Kac-Moody groups, gauge groups (especially loop groups) and diffeomorphism groups. I would like to express my thanks to the MSRI for sponsoring the meeting, to Ms. Faye Yeager for excellent typing, to the authors for their manuscripts, and to Springer-Verlag for publishing this volume. V. Kac INFINITE DIMENSIONAL GROUPS WITH APPLICATIONS CONTENTS The Lie Group Structure of M. Adams. T. Ratiu 1 Diffeomorphism Groups and & R. Schmid Invertible Fourier Integral Operators with Applications On Landau-Lifshitz Equation and E. Date 71 Infinite Dimensional Groups Flat Manifolds and Infinite D. S. Freed 83 Dimensional Kahler Geometry Positive-Energy Representations R. Goodman 125 of the Group of Diffeomorphisms of the Circle Instantons and Harmonic Maps M. A. Guest 137 A Coxeter Group Approach to Z. Haddad 157 Schubert Varieties Constructing Groups Associated to V. G. Kac 167 Infinite-Dimensional Lie Algebras I. Kaplansky 217 Harish-Chandra Modules Over the Virasoro Algebra & L. J. Santharoubane 233 Rational Homotopy Theory of Flag S.

The first account of local geometric Langlands Correspondence, a new area of mathematical physics developed by the author.

The articles in this volume study various cohomological aspects of algebraic varieties: - characteristic classes of singular varieties; - geometry of flag varieties; - cohomological computations for homogeneous spaces; - K-theory of algebraic varieties; - quantum cohomology and Gromov-Witten theory. The main purpose is to give comprehensive introductions to the above topics through a series of "friendly" texts starting from a very elementary level and ending with the discussion of current research. In the articles, the reader will find classical results and methods as well as new ones. Numerous examples will help to understand the mysteries of the cohomological theories presented. The book will be a useful guide to research in the above-mentioned areas. It is adressed to researchers and graduate students in algebraic geometry, algebraic topology, and singularity theory, as well as to mathematicians interested in homogeneous varieties and symmetric functions. Most of the material exposed in the volume has not appeared in books before. Contributors: Paolo Aluffi Michel Brion Anders Skovsted Buch Haibao Duan Ali Ulas Ozgur Kisisel Piotr Pragacz Jörg Schürmann Marek Szyjewski Harry Tamvakis

The emergent mathematical philosophy of categorification is reshaping our view of modern mathematics by uncovering a hidden layer of structure in mathematics, revealing richer and more robust structures capable of describing more complex phenomena. Categorified representation theory, or higher representation theory, aims to understand a new level of structure present in representation theory. Rather than studying actions of algebras on vector spaces where algebra elements act by linear endomorphisms of the vector space, higher representation theory describes the structure present when algebras act on categories, with algebra elements acting by functors. The new level of structure in higher representation theory arises by studying the natural transformations between functors. This enhanced perspective brings into play a powerful new set of tools that deepens our understanding of traditional representation theory. This volume exhibits some of the current trends in higher representation theory and the diverse techniques that are being employed in this field with the aim of showcasing the many applications of higher representation theory. The companion volume (Contemporary Mathematics, Volume 684) is devoted to categorification in geometry, topology, and physics.

* Introduces the fundamental theory of vertex operator algebras and its basic techniques and examples. * Begins with a detailed presentation of the theoretical foundations and proceeds to a range of applications. * Includes a number of new, original results and brings fresh perspective to important works of many other researchers in algebra, lie theory, representation theory, string theory, quantum field theory, and other areas of math and physics.

This edited volume features a curated selection of research in algebraic combinatorics that explores the boundaries of current knowledge in the field. Focusing on topics experiencing broad interest and rapid growth, invited contributors offer survey articles on representation theory, symmetric functions, invariant theory, and the combinatorics of Young tableaux. The volume also addresses subjects at the intersection of algebra, combinatorics, and geometry, including the study of polytopes, lattice points, hyperplane arrangements, crystal graphs, and Grassmannians. All surveys are written at an introductory level that emphasizes recent developments and open problems. An interactive tutorial on Schubert Calculus emphasizes the geometric and topological aspects of the topic and is suitable for combinatorialists as well as geometrically minded researchers seeking to gain familiarity with relevant combinatorial tools. Featured authors include prominent women in the field known for their exceptional writing of deep mathematics in an accessible manner. Each article in this volume was reviewed independently by two referees. The volume is suitable for graduate students and researchers interested in algebraic combinatorics.

In the last decade, there has been a burgeoning of activity in the design and implementation of algorithms for algebraic geometric computation. The workshop on Algorithms in Algebraic Geometry that was held in the framework of the IMA Annual Program Year in Applications of Algebraic Geometry by the Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications on September 2006 is one tangible indication of the interest. This volume of articles captures some of the spirit of the IMA workshop.