Leonard pairs, spin models, and distance-regular graphs

Abstract

A Leonard pair is an ordered pair of diagonalizable linear maps on a finite-dimensional vector space, that each act on an eigenbasis for the other one in an irreducible tridiagonal fashion. In the present paper we consider a type of Leonard pair, said to have spin. The notion of a spin model was introduced by V.F.R. Jones to construct link invariants. A spin model is a symmetric matrix over $\mathbb{C}$ that satisfies two conditions, called the type II and type III conditions. It is known that a spin model $\sf W$ is contained in a certain finite-dimensional algebra $N({\sf W})$, called the Nomura algebra. It often happens that a spin model $\sf W$ satisfies ${\sf W} \in {\sf M} \subseteq N({\sf W})$, where $\sf M$ is the Bose-Mesner algebra of a distance-regular graph $\Gamma$; in this case we say that $\Gamma$ affords $\sf W$. If $\Gamma$ affords a spin model, then each irreducible module for every Terwilliger algebra of $\Gamma$ takes a certain form, recently described by Caughman, Curtin, Nomura, and Wolff. In the present paper we show that the converse is true; if each irreducible module for every Terwilliger algebra of $\Gamma$ takes this form, then $\Gamma$ affords a spin model. We explicitly construct this spin model when $\Gamma$ has $q$-Racah type. The proof of our main result relies heavily on the theory of spin Leonard pairs.