Vertex algebraic intertwining operators among generalized Verma modules for affine Lie algebras (Q2006074)

Let \(V\) be a vertex operator algebra and \(W_1\), \(W_2\) and \(W_3\) weak \(V\)-modules. An intertwining operator of type \(\binom{W_3}{W_1\,W_2}\) is defined as a linear map \(W_1\otimes W_2\to W_3 \left\{z\right\}\) which satisfies certain conditions. The space of all intertwining operators of type \(\binom{W_3}{W_1\,W_2}\) is denoted by \(\mathcal{V}^{W_3}_{W_1\,W_2}\). The intertwining operators play an important role in the study of tensor categories of \(V\)-modules. In this paper, the author develops a new construction method for intertwining operators in the context of affine vertex operator algebras. More precisely, let \(\mathfrak{g}\) be a complex finite-dimensional simple Lie algebra and \(\widehat{\mathfrak{g}}=\mathfrak{g}\otimes\mathbb{C}[t,t^{-1}]\oplus\mathbb{C}C\) the corresponding affine Kac-Moody Lie algebra. Furthermore, let \(U_1\) and \(U_2\) be \(\mathfrak{g}\)-modules and \(W_3\) an \(\mathbb{N}\)-gradable weak module for the affine vertex operator algebra \(V_{\mathfrak{g}}(\ell,0)\). Recall that the generalized Verma modules \(V_{\mathfrak{g}}(\ell,U_i)\) induced from the \(\mathfrak{g}\)-modules \(U_i\) are naturally equipped with the structure of (\(\mathbb{N}\)-gradable weak) \(V_{\mathfrak{g}}(\ell,0)\)-module. The main result of the paper provides, under certain conditions, the isomorphism \[ \mathcal{V}^{W_3}_{V_{\mathfrak{g}}(\ell,U_1)\,V_{\mathfrak{g}}(\ell,U_2)}\to \Hom_{\mathfrak{g}}(U_1\otimes U_2, W_3(0)). \] This construction of intertwining operators generalizes the earlier results for \(\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{sl}_2\) [\textit{R. McRae} and \textit{J. Yang}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 370, No. 4, 2351--2390 (2018; Zbl 1432.17028)], but it uses different methods. At the end, the aforementioned sufficient conditions for the existence of intertwining operators are further discussed. Moreover, the results are compared with [loc. cit.] and some new examples of intertwining operators are given in the \(\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{sl}_2\) case.