Combinatorics of free vertex algebras. (Q1858192)

A necessary ingredient for studying universal algebraic structures by means of generators and relations is the notion of free algebraic structure of the required type. As already pointed out by \textit{R. Borcherds} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 3068--3071 (1986; Zbl 0613.17012)] free vertex algebras do not exist in general. The reason for that is that vertex algebras do not form a variety of algebras because their main defining axiom, namely the locality axiom, is not an identity. This accounts for many of the difficulties encountered in the combinatorial study of vertex algebras. In an earlier paper [\textit{M. Roitman}, J. Algebra 217, 496--527 (1999; Zbl 0951.17013)] the author constructed some free vertex algebras and found linear bases for these in certain special cases. In the paper under review the author generalizes his construction and finds linear bases of arbitrary free vertex algebras. The key observation is that free vertex algebras are closely related to lattice vertex algebras. The author studies this relationship in detail and finds a nice presentation of lattice vertex algebras in terms of generators and relations. In particular, this gives an alternative construction of these algebras without using vertex operators.