Rigged configuration bijection and proof of the $X=M$ conjecture for nonexceptional affine types

Abstract

We establish a bijection between rigged configurations and highest weight elements of a tensor product of Kirillov-Reshetikhin crystals for all nonexceptional types. A key idea for the proof is to embed both objects into bigger sets for simply-laced types $A_n^{(1)}$ or $D_n^{(1)}$, whose bijections have already been established. As a consequence we settle the $X=M$ conjecture in full generality for nonexceptional types. Furthermore, the bijection extends to a classical crystal isomorphism and sends the combinatorial $R$-matrix to the identity map on rigged configurations.