Quantum K-theory on flag manifolds, finite-difference Toda lattices and quantum groups

Abstract

We conjecture that appropriate K-theoretic Gromov-Witten invariants of complex flag manifolds G/B are governed by finite-difference versions of Toda systems constructed in terms of the Langlands-dual quantized universal enveloping algebras U_q(g'). The conjecture is proved in the case of classical flag manifolds of the series A. The proof is based on a refinement of the famous Atiyah-Hirzebruch argument for rigidity of arithmetical genus applied to hyperquot-scheme compactifications of spaces of rational curves in the flag manifolds.