Universal factorization spaces and algebras (Q2331780)

In conformal field theory, vertex operators are associated to the points \(x\) of a closed Riemann surface \(\Sigma\). They are related to the Virasoro algebra, i.e. the universal central extension of the Lie algebra of vector fields on a (small) circle around \(x\), and modules of the Virasoro algebra attached to \(x\). Vertex algebras [\textit{V. Kac}, Vertex algebras for beginners. 2nd ed. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (1998; Zbl 0924.17023); \textit{E. Frenkel} and \textit{D. Ben-Zvi}, Vertex algebras and algebraic curves. 2nd revised and expanded ed. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2004; Zbl 1106.17035)], chiral algebras [\textit{A. Beilinson} and \textit{V. Drinfeld}, Chiral algebras. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (2004; Zbl 1138.17300)] and later factorization spaces and algebras [\textit{J. Francis} and \textit{D. Gaitsgory}, Sel. Math., New Ser. 18, No. 1, 27--87 (2012; Zbl 1248.81198)] try to extract the geometrical meaning of the operator product expansion in conformal field theory and to formulate a mathematical framework around it. The subject of the present article is to show that the factorization space \(\mathcal{L}(X)_{\mathrm{Ran }C}\) of meromorphic jets from a curve \(C\) to an affine scheme \(X\) introduced by \textit{M. Kapranov} and \textit{E. Vasserot} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 100, 209--269 (2004; Zbl 1106.17038)] admits pullbacks by étale maps \(X\to Y\). Concretely, the author introduces the notion of \textit{weak factorization spaces} where it is much easier to define the pullback by étale maps, and shows on the other hand that one may reconstruct the full structure from a weak factorization space (i.e. an equivalence of categories between weak and usual factorization spaces). One outcome is that the assignment \(C\mapsto\mathcal{L}(X)_{\mathrm{Ran }C}\) defines a universal factorization space in dimension one. This implies that the computation of the chiral de Rham complex can be reduced to the case of a the affine curve \({\mathbb A}^1\), confirming Kapranov-Vasserot.