The Virasoro algebra and some exceptional Lie and finite groups (Q2473399)

Quadratic Casimir elements of a vertex operator algebra were first introduced by \textit{A. Matsuo} [Commun. Math. Phys. 224, No. 3, 565--591 (2001; Zbl 1103.17014)] in order to derive Norton's trace formula on the Griess algebra of the moonshine module \(V^\natural\) from general properties of a vertex operator algebra. Some constraint on the central charge and the dimension of the Griess algebra of a vertex operator algebra was obtained under certain assumptions. In the paper under review, the author extends Matsuo's idea by considering a certain correlation function. Let \(V = \bigoplus_{n \geq 0} V_{(n)}\) be a simple vertex operator algebra with \(V_{(0)} = {\mathbb C}{\mathbf 1}\). Let \(\omega\) be its conformal vector with central charge \(c\). Assume that \(L_1 V_{(1)} = 0\), where \(L_n = \omega_{n+1}\). Then \(V\) has a unique nondegenerate symmetric invariant bilinear form \(\langle\, \cdot\,,\cdot\, \rangle\) with normalization \(\langle {\mathbf 1}, {\mathbf 1} \rangle = 1\). Set \(d = \dim V_{(1)} > 0\). Take a basis \(u_\alpha\), \(1 \leq \alpha \leq d\) of \(V_{(1)}\) and its dual basis \(u^\alpha\), \(1 \leq \alpha \leq d\), that is, \(\langle u^\alpha, u_\beta \rangle = \delta_{\alpha\beta}\). For \(n \geq 0\), a Casimir element is defined by \(\lambda^{(n)} = \sum_{\alpha = 1}^d u^\alpha_{-n+1}u_\alpha \in V_{(n)}\). The author studies the expansion of a correlation function \(\langle a, \sum_{\alpha = 1}^d Y(u^\alpha,x)Y(u_\alpha,y)b \rangle\) for \(a,b \in V_{(1)}\) in various domains. Under a certain assumption, it is shown that \(V_{(1)}\) is isomorphic to one of the simple Lie algebras of type \(A_1\), \(A_2\), \(G_2\), \(D_4\), \(F_4\), \(E_6\), \(E_7\) and \(E_8\). In the case \(V_{(1)} = 0\) and \(V_{(2)} \neq 0\), the author uses an analogous argument for a basis of \(V_{(2)}\) and obtains a constraint on \(c\) and the dimension of \(V_{(2)}\), which was previously proved by Matsuo under stronger assumptions.