An \(\mathfrak{sl}_2\)-type tensor category for the Virasoro algebra at central charge 25 and applications (Q2678947)

The paper under review studies various aspects of representation theory of certain Virasoro vertex algebras. Let \(t \in \mathbb{C}^{\times}\) and let \(c = 13 - 6t - 6t^{-1}\). Let \(V_{c}\) be the simple Virasoro vertex algebra at central charge \(c\). The paper under review studies the category \(\mathcal{O}_{c}\) of \(C_{1}\)-cofinite grading-restricted generalized \(V_{c}\) modules, in the case \(c = 25\), that is, \(t = -1\). It is shown that \(\mathcal{O}_{25}\) is a ribbon tensor category and the rigid, braided and ribbon structures are concretely described. Further, the subcategory \(\mathcal{O}_{25}^{0}\) of semisimple objects in \(\mathcal{O}_{25}\) is shown to be monoidal and equivalent to the category \(\mathcal{U}_{-1}(\operatorname{sl}_{2})\!\operatorname{-fdmod}\) of finite-dimensional weight modules over the quantum group \(\mathcal{U}_{q}(\operatorname{sl}_{2})\), for \(q=-1\). Using the methods of [\textit{T. Gannon} et al., ``Quantum \(SL(2)\) and logarithmic vertex operator algebras at \((p,1)\)-central charge'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2104.12821}], the authors show that the latter category admits exactly two braidings, which are mutually inverse, and that \(\mathcal{O}_{25}^{0}\) is braided equivalent to one of them, while \(\mathcal{O}_{1}^{0}\) is braided equivalent to the other. A conformal vertex algebra extension of \(V_{25}\) is constructed. The former admits a \(\mathrm{PSL}_{2}(\mathbb{C})\)-action by conformal vertex algebra automorphisms, with fixed point subalgebra \(V_{25}\) -- this extends the previously known realization of \(V_{c}\) as a \(\mathrm{PSL}_{2}(\mathbb{C})\)-orbifold when \(t \in \mathbb{Z}_{+}\) to the case \(t=-1\). Another vertex algebra extension, this time of \(V_{1} \otimes V_{25}\), defined by [\textit{T. Arakawa}, ``Chiral algebras of class \(\mathcal{S}\) and Moore-Tachikawa symplectic varieties'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1811.01577}] as the \textit{chiral universal centralizer algebra of \(SL_{2}\) at level \(-1\)}, is studied. More precisely, it is shown that the additive closure of objects \(X \otimes Y\), where \(X \in \mathcal{O}_{1}^{0}\) and \(Y \in \mathcal{O}_{25}^{0}\), is equivalent to \(\operatorname{Rep}\mathrm{PSL}_{2}(\mathbb{C})\). The paper contains three appendices. The first treats commutative algebras in braided tensor categories, their modules and the preservation of both kinds of structures under braided tensor functors. The second shows how to extend a \(V_{1}\)-module isomorphism between two vertex operator algebra extensions to a vertex algebra extension isomorphism, and the compatibility of this process with a \(\mathrm{PSL}_{2}(\mathbb{C})\)-action, in the presence of the latter. The third gives a similar result for \(V_{1} \otimes V_{25}\), without taking into account possible group actions. All three are used extensively throughout the paper, in particular when characterizing the vertex algebra extensions of the previous paragraph.