Character and determinant formulae of quasifinite representation of the \(W_{1+\infty}\) algebra (Q1908062)

The \(W_{1 + \infty}\) algebra is a central extension of the Lie algebra of (arbitrary order) differential operators on the circle generated by finitely many Fourier modes. It is a graded Lie algebra with infinite dimensional homogeneous subspaces. Highest weight representations for which the homogeneous subspaces are finite dimensional are called quasifinite. Such modules are obtained by choosing the highest weight vector in a certain manner. These quasifinite representations were classified by \textit{V. G. Kac} and \textit{A. Radul} [Commun. Math. Phys. 157, 429-457 (1993; Zbl 0826.17027)]. See also that review for more background information. For such modules the Kac determinant is introduced. In this article the analytic expression for the Kac determinant for a certain subclass of quasifinite representations is derived. An explicit form of the diagonal basis of the Hilbert space is given in terms of Young diagrams. Also a full character formula for the generalized Verma modules is given. For the degenerate representations (i.e. where the generalized Verma modules become irreducible) the character formula of the irreducible module is given in terms of Young diagrams, resp. Schur polynomials. In an appendix explicit calculations for the determinant formula at lower degrees can be found. Similar to the article of Kac and Radul essential use is made of the homomorphism of the \(W_{1 + \infty}\) algebra to \(\widehat {gl} (\infty, R_m)\) \((R_m = \mathbb{C} [T]/(T^m)\) the truncated polynomial algebra).