Higher-order polarizations on the Virasoro group and anomalies (Q1180227)

The authors showed in a previous paper [Commun. Math. Phys. 126, 575-595 (1990; Zbl 0703.22013)] that the standard (first-order) polarization conditions are not, in general, sufficient to generate an irreducible representation of the Virasoro group. The full reduction is achieved by working on the Virasoro group manifold and by taking the orbit of the enveloping algebra through the vacuum. In the present paper, the concept of polarization is generalized to that of ``higher-order polarization''. The authors prove that higher-order polarization conditions (imposed by means of higher-order differential operators) are equivalent to the choice of the orbit of the enveloping algebra through the vacuum. They also investigate the relation between higher-order polarizations and anomalies.