Cluster algebras and snake modules

Abstract

Snake modules introduced by Mukhin and Young form a family of modules of quantum affine algebras. The aim of this paper is to prove that the Hernandez-Leclerc conjecture about monoidal categorifications of cluster algebras is true for prime snake modules of types $A_{n}$ and $B_{n}$. We prove that prime snake modules are real. We introduce $S$-systems consisting of equations satisfied by the $q$-characters of prime snake modules of types $A_{n}$ and $B_{n}$. Moreover, we show that every equation in the $S$-system of type $A_n$ (respectively, $B_n$) corresponds to a mutation in the cluster algebra $\mathscr{A}$ (respectively, $\mathscr{A}'$) constructed by Hernandez and Leclerc and every prime snake module of type $A_n$ (respectively, $B_n$) corresponds to some cluster variable in $\mathscr{A}$ (respectively, $\mathscr{A}'$). In particular, this proves that the Hernandez-Leclerc conjecture is true for all prime snake modules of types $A_{n}$ and $B_{n}$.