Alcove walks, buildings, symmetric functions and representations
arXiv:0807.3602
Abstract
For a complex simple Lie algebra, the dimension of the weight space of a finite dimensional representation of highest weight is the same as the number of Littelmann paths of type and weight . In this paper we give an explicit construction of a path of type and weight whenever . This construction has additional consequences, it produces an explicit point in the building which chamber retracts to and sector retracts to , and an explicit point of the affine Grassmannian in the corresponding Mirković-Vilonen intersection. In an appendix we discuss the connection between retractions in buildings and alcove walks.