On free conformal and vertex algebras

We introduce the notion of a non--linear Lie conformal superalgebra and prove a PBW theorem for its universal enveloping vertex algebra. We also show that conversely any graded freely generated vertex algebra is the universal enveloping algebra of a non--linear Lie conformal superalgebra. This correspondence will be applied in the subsequent work to the problem of classification of finitely generated simple graded vertex algebras.

We aim to explore if inside a quantum vertex algebras, we can find the right notion of a quantum conformal algebra.

We introduce several definitions within the framework of vertex and conformal algebras which are analogous to some important concepts of the classical Lie theory. Most importantly, we define formal vertex laws, which correspond to the notion of formal group law. We prove suitable vertex/conformal versions of a number of classical results such as the Milnor-Moore theorem, Cartier duality, and the equivalence between formal group laws and Lie algebras.

In this paper we try to define the higher dimensional analogues of vertex algebras. In other words we define algebras which we hope have the same relation to higher dimensional quantum field theories that vertex algebras have to one dimensional quantum field theories (or to ``chiral halves'' of two dimensional quantum field theories). The main idea is to define "vertex groups". Then classical vertex algebras turn out to be the same as "associative commutative algebras" over t...

Lie conformal algebras appear in the theory of vertex algebras. Their relation is similar to that of Lie algebras and their universal enveloping algebras. Associative conformal algebras play a role in conformal representation theory. We introduce the notions of conformal identity and unital associative conformal algebras and classify finitely generated simple unital associative conformal algebras of linear growth. These are precisely the complete algebras of conformal endomor...

We classify all the Heisenberg and conformal vectors and determine the full automorphism group of the free bosonic vertex algebra without gradation. To describe it we introduce a notion of inner automorphisms of a vertex algebra.

Vertex algebras provide an axiomatic algebraic description of the operator product expansion (OPE) of chiral fields in 2-dimensional conformal field theory. Vertex Lie algebras (= Lie conformal algebras) encode the singular part of the OPE, or, equivalently, the commutators of chiral fields. We discuss generalizations of vertex algebras and vertex Lie algebras, which are relevant for higher-dimensional quantum field theory.

We construct free modules over an associative conformal algebra. We establish Composition-Diamond lemma for associative conformal modules. As applications, Gr\"obner-Shirshov bases of the Virasoro conformal module and module over the semidirect product of Virasoro conformal algebra and current algebra are given respectively.

This paper illustrates the combinatorial approach to vertex algebra - study of vertex algebras presented by generators and relations. A necessary ingredient of this method is the notion of free vertex algebra. Borcherds \cite{bor} was the first to note that free vertex algebras do not exist in general. The reason for this is that vertex algebras do not form a variety of algebras, because the locality axiom (see sec 2 below) is not an identity. However, a certain subcategory o...

This book offers an introduction to vertex algebra based on a new approach. The new approach says that a vertex algebra is an associative algebra such that the underlying Lie algebra is a vertex Lie algebra. In particular, vertex algebras can be formulated in terms of a single multiplication and they behave like associative algebras with respect to it. Chapter 1 is the introduction. In chapter 2 we discuss many examples of vertex Lie algebras and we show that vertex Lie alg...