Extremal monomials of $q$-characters

Abstract

In this short paper, we prove a conjecture of Frenkel-Hernandez, which states that $q$-characters of finite-dimensional simple modules of the quantum affine algebra $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{g}})$ are bounded by the Weyl group orbit of the leading monomial under Chari's braid group action. This generalizes the Weyl group invariance of characters of finite-dimensional representations of $\mathfrak{g}$.