Freely generated vertex algebras and nonlinear Lie conformal algebras (Q1776107)

In the paper under review that authors introduce the notion of a nonlinear Lie conformal (super)algebra \(R\), which encodes the singular part of general operator product expansion of fields. For this algebra they construct the universal enveloping algebra \(U(R)\). In the first main result the authors prove for \(U(R)\) an analogue of the Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt Theorem. Surprisingly enough, it happens that in this setup the PBW theorem admits a converse. Namely, in the second main result the authors show that any graded vertex algebra satisfying the PBW theorem is actually the universal enveloping algebra of a (unique up to isomorphism) nonlinear Lie conformal superalgebra.