Unitarity of the KZ/Hitchin connection on conformal blocks in genus 0 for arbitrary Lie algebras (Q456613)

Let \(\overline{\mathfrak{M}_{g,N}}\) denote the moduli stack space of stable \(N\)-pointed curves of genus \(g\). Let \(\mathfrak{g}\) be a simple Lie algebra. With each \(N\)-tuple \(\lambda=(\lambda_1,\dots,\lambda_N)\) of dominant integral weights of \(\mathfrak{g}\) and a non-negative integer \(k\) one associates a vector bundle \(V=V_{\lambda,k}\) on this stack. On the open part of smooth curves there exists a flat projective connection \(\nabla\) in \(V\), that in the case \(g=0\) is just the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov connection. From physical intuition it follows that the bundle \(V\) carries projective unitary metric preserved by the connection \(\nabla\). This conjecture was proved by Kirillov and Wenzl (private communication; cf. also [\textit{H. Wenzl}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 11, No. 2, 261--282 (1998; Zbl 0888.46043)]) for all genera but their construction is not explicit. A conjectural explicit construction of the unitary metric was given in [\textit{F. Falceto} et al., Phys. Lett. B, 260, No. 1--2, Article ID 101108 (1991; \url{doi:10.1016/0370-2693(91)90975-V})]. This construction in the case \(g=0\), \(\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{sl}_2\) was rigorously realized in [\textit{T. R. Ramadas}, Ann. Math. (2) 169, No. 1, 1--39 (2009; Zbl 1167.32011)] . Following the Ramadas' strategy the proof of the unitarity conjecture for the case \(g=0\), and arbitrary algebra \(\mathfrak{g}\) is given in the paper under review.