This unique book provides the first introduction to crystal base theory from the combinatorial point of view. Crystal base theory was developed by Kashiwara and Lusztig from the perspective of quantum groups. Its power comes from the fact that it addresses many questions in representation theory and mathematical physics by combinatorial means. This book approaches the subject directly from combinatorics, building crystals through local axioms (based on ideas by Stembridge) and virtual crystals. It also emphasizes parallels between the representation theory of the symmetric and general linear groups and phenomena in combinatorics. The combinatorial approach is linked to representation theory through the analysis of Demazure crystals. The relationship of crystals to tropical geometry is also explained.

Young Tableaux in Combinatorics, Invariant Theory, and Algebra: An Anthology of Recent Work is an anthology of papers on Young tableaux and their applications in combinatorics, invariant theory, and algebra. Topics covered include reverse plane partitions and tableau hook numbers; some partitions associated with a partially ordered set; frames and Baxter sequences; and Young diagrams and ideals of Pfaffians. Comprised of 16 chapters, this book begins by describing a probabilistic proof of a formula for the number f? of standard Young tableaux of a given shape f?. The reader is then introduced to the generating function of R. P. Stanley for reverse plane partitions on a tableau shape; an analog of Schensted's algorithm relating permutations and triples consisting of two shifted Young tableaux and a set; and a variational problem for random Young tableaux. Subsequent chapters deal with certain aspects of Schensted's construction and the derivation of the Littlewood-Richardson rule for the multiplication of Schur functions using purely combinatorial methods; monotonicity and unimodality of the pattern inventory; and skew-symmetric invariant theory. This volume will be helpful to students and practitioners of algebra.

This volume presents the proceedings of the international conference on Combinatorial and Geometric Representation Theory. In the field of representation theory, a wide variety of mathematical ideas are providing new insights, giving powerful methods for understanding the theory, and presenting various applications to other branches of mathematics. Over the past two decades, there have been remarkable developments. This book explains the strong connections between combinatorics, geometry, and representation theory. It is suitable for graduate students and researchers interested in representation theory.