On the concepts of intertwining operator and tensor product module in vertex operator algebra theory (Q2581280)

There are three basic notions in the theory of vertex operator algebras, that is, vertex operator algebra itself, its module, and intertwining operator among modules. In these notions, there is a uniform axiom, namely, the Jacobi identity. In fact, the Jacobi identity contains much important information. The Jacobi identity can be replaced by some other properties. However, the replacement depends on those three notions. It is known that in the definition of vertex operator algebra, one can take the commutator formula in place of the Jacobi identity [see for example, \textit{J. Lepowsky} and \textit{H. S. Li} [Progress in Math. Vol. 227. Birkhäuser, Boston (2004; Zbl 1055.17001)]. In the paper under review, the authors discuss how the Jacobi identity can be replaced by the commutator formula in the definition of intertwining operator. The authors present some examples for which the commutator formula holds but the Jacobi identity does not. Thus in the definition of intertwining operator, the commutator formula does not imply the Jacobi identity. Such an example is obtained by considering a vertex operator algebra based on a finite dimensional commutative associative algebra with identity. It is also shown that for any vertex operator algebra with nonzero central charge, the Jacobi identity is equivalent to the commutator formula in the definition of intertwining operator. The results tell us the importance of the compatibility condition in the theory of tensor product module by Y.-Z. Huang and J. Lepowsky. Actually, the argument here is more general so that the logarithmic case is involved.