\(W\)-algebras as coset vertex algebras (Q2322816)

As main result of this important paper, the authors prove a long-standing conjecture regarding a coset construction of the minimal series principal \(W\)-algebras of types \(A\), \(D\) and \(E\). \(W\)-algebras are vertex algebras \(\mathcal{W}^\ell(\mathfrak{g},f)\) associated with a simple Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\), a nilpotent element \(f\in\mathfrak{g}\) and \(\ell\in\mathbb{C}\) obtained in a procedure called quantum Drinfeld-Sokolov reduction. This work is concerned with the case where \(f\) is a principal nilpotent element, in which case \(\mathcal{W}^\ell(\mathfrak{g},f)\) is called the universal \textit{principal \(W\)-algebra} of \(\mathfrak{g}\) at level \(\ell\). These vertex algebras are not necessarily irreducible and so one also considers the unique simple quotients \(\mathcal{W}_\ell(\mathfrak{g},f)\). The principal \(W\)-algebras play an important role in physics and the geometric Langlands programme. Restricting to certain special values of \(\ell\), one obtains the \textit{minimal series principal \(W\)-algebras}. Let \(V_k(\mathfrak{g})\) denote the universal \textit{affine vertex algebra} associated with \(\mathfrak{g}\) at level \(k\), and denote by \(L_k(\mathfrak{g})\) its unique simple quotient. Main Theorem 1 shows that any minimal series principal \(W\)-algebra \(\mathcal{W}_\ell(\mathfrak{g},f)\) of \(ADE\) type (i.e. for simply-laced \(\mathfrak{g}\)) is isomorphic to the commutant (also called centraliser or coset vertex algebra) of \(L_{k+1}(\mathfrak{g})\) in the tensor product \(L_k(\mathfrak{g})\otimes L_1(\mathfrak{g})\) for some admissible level \(k\). This result is proved by first establishing an analogous result for the universal minimal series principal \(W\)-algebras \(\mathcal{W}^\ell(\mathfrak{g},f)\) of \(ADE\) types, namely by realising them as commutant of \(V_{k+1}(\mathfrak{g})\) in \(V_k(\mathfrak{g})\otimes L_1(\mathfrak{g})\) for some generic level \(k\). This is Main Theorem 2. One application of the main results is a proof of the conjecture that the discrete series principal \(W\)-algebras (a certain sub-series of the minimal series in \(ADE\) types) are unitary. Since, the minimal series principal \(W\)-algebras were shown to be rational and \(C_2\)-cofinite (or lisse) by the first author, Main Theorem 1 establishes these properties for a large class of coset vertex algebras, which is in general a very hard problem. Further applications include level-rank dualities of types \(A\) and \(D\) and the rationality of the Kazama-Suzuki coset vertex superalgebra.