Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction for difference operators and deformations of \({\mathcal W}\)-algebras. I: The case of Virasoro algebra (Q1268057)

The authors propose a \(q\)-difference version of the Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction scheme, giving \(q\)-deformations of the classical \({\mathcal W}\)-algebras by reduction from Poisson-Lie groups. The case of \(SL_2\) is studied in detail. Using their procedure, the authors obtain a reduced Poisson algebra which is the deformation of the classical Virasoro algebra and also consider a discrete analogue of this Poisson structure. [For Part II see Zbl 0916.17021 below].