Vertex operator algebras associated to modified regular representations of affine Lie algebras

Abstract

Let G be a simply-connected complex Lie group with simple Lie algebra g and let g ˆ be its affine Lie algebra. We use intertwining operators and Knizhnik–Zamolodchikov equations to construct a family of N -graded vertex operator algebras (VOAs) associated to g . These vertex operator algebras contain the algebra of regular functions on G as the conformal weight 0 subspaces and are g ˆ ⊕ g ˆ -modules of dual levels k , k ¯ ∉ Q in the sense that k + k ¯ = − 2 h ∨ , where h ∨ is the dual Coxeter number of g . This family of VOAs was previously studied by Arkhipov–Gaitsgory and Gorbounov–Malikov–Schechtman from different points of view. We show that when k is irrational, the vertex envelope of the vertex algebroid associated to G and the level k is isomorphic to the vertex operator algebra we constructed above. The case of rational levels is also discussed.