Multidimensional Hypergeometric Functions and Representation Theory of Lie Algebras and Quantum Groups

This book recounts the connections between multidimensional hypergeometric functions and representation theory. In 1984, physicists Knizhnik and Zamolodchikov discovered a fundamental differential equation describing correlation functions in conformal field theory. The equation is defined in terms of a Lie algebra. Kohno and Drinfeld found that the monodromy of the differential equation is described in terms of the quantum group associated with the Lie algebra. It turns out that this phenomenon is the tip of the iceberg. The Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov differential equation is solved in multidimensional hypergeometric functions, and the hypergeometric functions yield the connection between the representation theories of Lie algebras and quantum groups. The topics presented in this book are not adequately covered in periodicals.