Commutative algebra to representation theory, through the combinatorics of filtered RSK
Suppose X is the affine cone of a projective variety. The Hilbert series of the coordinate ring C[X] is the character of an algebraic torus. More generally, one considers a reductive algebraic group G acting rationally on X. When X is matrix space Matm,n, G=GLm×GLn acts by row and column operations. The relationship between the Hilbert series and the class of C[Matm,n] in the representation ring of G is the Cauchy identity; its combinatorial explanation is the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth (RSK) correspondence. We study X in Matm,n where G=GLm×GLn or a Levi subgroup acts, and there is an additional compatibility of Gröbner basis theory with Kashiwara’s crystal basis theory. For such "bicrystalline" varieties, we give a common generalization of the Hilbert series, the Cauchy identity, and the Littlewood-Richardson rule. Our work introduces a "filtered" generalization of RSK. Our main application is to determinantal varieties such as Fulton’s matrix Schubert varieties. This is joint work with Abigail Price (UIUC) and Ada Stelzer (UIUC); arXiv:2403.09938.