We develop techniques to construct isomorphisms between simple affine W-algebras and affine vertex algebras at admissible levels. We then apply these techniques to obtain many new, and conjecturally all, admissible collapsing levels for affine W-algebras. In short, if a simple affine W-algebra at a given level is equal to its affine vertex subalgebra generated by the centraliser of an ${\mathfrak {sl}}_2$-triple associated with the underlying nilpotent orbit, then that level is said to be collapsing. Collapsing levels are important both in representation theory and in theoretical physics. Our approach relies on two fundamental invariants of vertex algebras. The first one is the associated variety, which, in the context of admissible level simple affine W-algebras, leads to the Poisson varieties known as nilpotent Slodowy slices. We exploit the singularities of these varieties to detect possible collapsing levels. The second invariant is the asymptotic datum. We prove a general result asserting that, under appropriate hypotheses, equality of asymptotic data implies isomorphism at the level of vertex algebras. Then we use this to give a sufficient criterion, of combinatorial nature, for an admissible level to be collapsing. Our methods also allow us to study isomorphisms between quotients of W-algebras and extensions of simple affine vertex algebras at admissible levels. Based on such examples, we are led to formulate a general conjecture: for any finite extension of vertex algebras, the induced morphism between associated Poisson varieties is dominant.

The loop space of a string manifold supports an infinite-dimensional Fock space bundle, which is an analog of the spinor bundle on a spin manifold. This spinor bundle on loop space appears in the description of two-dimensional sigma models as the bundle of states over the configuration space of the superstring. We construct a product on this bundle that covers the fusion of loops, i.e. the merging of two loops along a common segment. For this purpose, we exhibit it as a bundle of bimodules over a certain von Neumann algebra bundle, and realize our product fibrewise using the Connes fusion of von Neumann bimodules. Our main technique is to establish novel relations between string structures, loop fusion, and the Connes fusion of Fock spaces. The fusion product on the spinor bundle on loop space was proposed by Stolz and Teichner as part of a programme to explore the relation between generalized cohomology theories, functorial field theories, and index theory. It is related to the pair of pants worldsheet of the superstring, to the extension of the corresponding smooth functorial field theory down to the point, and to a higher-categorical bundle on the underlying string manifold, the stringor bundle.

Let $\mathfrak {g}$ be a complex semisimple Lie algebra with associated Yangian $Y_{\hbar }\mathfrak {g}$. In the mid-1990s, Khoroshkin and Tolstoy formulated a conjecture which asserts that the algebra $\mathrm {D}Y_{\hbar }\mathfrak {g}$ obtained by doubling the generators of $Y_{\hbar }\mathfrak {g}$, called the Yangian double, provides a realization of the quantum double of the Yangian. We provide a uniform proof of this conjecture over $\mathbb {C}[\kern-1.2pt\![{\hbar }]\!\kern-1.2pt]$ which is compatible with the theory of quantized enveloping algebras. As a by-product, we identify the universal R-matrix of the Yangian with the canonical element defined by the pairing between the Yangian and its restricted dual.

We study the spaces of twisted conformal blocks attached to a $\Gamma$-curve $\Sigma$ with marked $\Gamma$-orbits and an action of $\Gamma$ on a simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak {g}$, where $\Gamma$ is a finite group. We prove that if $\Gamma$ stabilizes a Borel subalgebra of $\mathfrak {g}$, then the propagation theorem and factorization theorem hold. We endow a flat projective connection on the sheaf of twisted conformal blocks attached to a smooth family of pointed $\Gamma$-curves; in particular, it is locally free. We also prove that the sheaf of twisted conformal blocks on the stable compactification of Hurwitz stack is locally free. Let $\mathscr {G}$ be the parahoric Bruhat–Tits group scheme on the quotient curve $\Sigma /\Gamma$ obtained via the $\Gamma$-invariance of Weil restriction associated to $\Sigma$ and the simply connected simple algebraic group $G$ with Lie algebra $\mathfrak {g}$. We prove that the space of twisted conformal blocks can be identified with the space of generalized theta functions on the moduli stack of quasi-parabolic $\mathscr {G}$-torsors on $\Sigma /\Gamma$ when the level $c$ is divisible by $|\Gamma |$ (establishing a conjecture due to Pappas and Rapoport).

We introduce the combinatorial notion of a q-factorization graph intended as a tool to study and express results related to the classification of prime simple modules for quantum affine algebras. These are directed graphs equipped with three decorations: a coloring and a weight map on vertices, and an exponent map on arrows (the exponent map can be seen as a weight map on arrows). Such graphs do not contain oriented cycles and, hence, the set of arrows induces a partial order on the set of vertices. In this first paper on the topic, beside setting the theoretical base of the concept, we establish several criteria for deciding whether or not a tensor product of two simple modules is a highest-$\ell $-weight module and use such criteria to prove, for type A, that a simple module whose q-factorization graph has a totally ordered vertex set is prime.

Using crossed homomorphisms, we show that the category of weak representations (respectively admissible representations) of Lie–Rinehart algebras (respectively Leibniz pairs) is a left module category over the monoidal category of representations of Lie algebras. In particular, the corresponding bifunctor of monoidal categories is established to give new weak representations (respectively admissible representations) of Lie–Rinehart algebras (respectively Leibniz pairs). This generalises and unifies various existing constructions of representations of many Lie algebras by using this new bifunctor. We construct some crossed homomorphisms in different situations and use our actions of monoidal categories to recover some known constructions of representations of various Lie algebras and to obtain new representations for generalised Witt algebras and their Lie subalgebras. The cohomology theory of crossed homomorphisms between Lie algebras is introduced and used to study linear deformations of crossed homomorphisms.

We prove an explicit inverse Chevalley formula in the equivariant K-theory of semi-infinite flag manifolds of simply laced type. By an ‘inverse Chevalley formula’ we mean a formula for the product of an equivariant scalar with a Schubert class, expressed as a $\mathbb {Z}\left [q^{\pm 1}\right ]$ -linear combination of Schubert classes twisted by equivariant line bundles. Our formula applies to arbitrary Schubert classes in semi-infinite flag manifolds of simply laced type and equivariant scalars $e^{\lambda }$ , where $\lambda $ is an arbitrary minuscule weight. By a result of Stembridge, our formula completely determines the inverse Chevalley formula for arbitrary weights in simply laced type except for type $E_8$ . The combinatorics of our formula is governed by the quantum Bruhat graph, and the proof is based on a limit from the double affine Hecke algebra. Thus our formula also provides an explicit determination of all nonsymmetric q-Toda operators for minuscule weights in ADE type.

We prove the longstanding physics conjecture that there exists a unique two-parameter ${\mathcal {W}}_{\infty }$-algebra which is freely generated of type ${\mathcal {W}}(2,3,\ldots )$, and generated by the weights $2$ and $3$ fields. Subject to some mild constraints, all vertex algebras of type ${\mathcal {W}}(2,3,\ldots , N)$ for some $N$ can be obtained as quotients of this universal algebra. As an application, we show that for $n\geq 3$, the structure constants for the principal ${\mathcal {W}}$-algebras ${\mathcal {W}}^k({\mathfrak s}{\mathfrak l}_n, f_{\text {prin}})$ are rational functions of $k$ and $n$, and we classify all coincidences among the simple quotients ${\mathcal {W}}_k({\mathfrak s}{\mathfrak l}_n, f_{\text {prin}})$ for $n\geq 2$. We also obtain many new coincidences between ${\mathcal {W}}_k({\mathfrak s}{\mathfrak l}_n, f_{\text {prin}})$ and other vertex algebras of type ${\mathcal {W}}(2,3,\ldots , N)$ which arise as cosets of affine vertex algebras or nonprincipal ${\mathcal {W}}$-algebras.

The trace (or zeroth Hochschild homology) of Khovanov’s Heisenberg category is identified with a quotient of the algebra $W_{1+\infty }$. This induces an action of $W_{1+\infty }$ on the center of the categorified Fock space representation, which can be identified with the action of $W_{1+\infty }$ on symmetric functions.

We consider a lifting of Joseph ideals for the minimal nilpotent orbit closure to the setting of affine Kac–Moody algebras and find new examples of affine vertex algebras whose associated varieties are minimal nilpotent orbit closures. As an application we obtain a new family of lisse ($C_{2}$-cofinite) $W$-algebras that are not coming from admissible representations of affine Kac–Moody algebras.

For Dewitt super groups $G$ modeled via an underlying finitely generated Grassmann algebra it is well known that when there exists a body group $BG$ compatible with the group operation on $G$, then, generically, the kernel $K$ of the body homomorphism is nilpotent. This is not true when the underlying Grassmann algebra is infinitely generated. We show that it is quasi-nilpotent in the sense that as a Banach Lie group its Lie algebra $\kappa$ has the property that for each $a\,\in \,\kappa ,\,\text{a}{{\text{d}}_{a}}$ has a zero spectrum. We also show that the exponential mapping from $\kappa$ to $K$ is surjective and that $K$ is a quotient manifold of the Banach space $\kappa$ via a lattice in $\kappa$.

A famous result of Kostant's states that the universal enveloping algebra of a semisimple complex Lie algebra is a free module over its center. An analogue of this result is proved for the class of special filtered algebras. This is then applied to show that the restricted Yangian and the universal enveloping algebra of the restricted current algebra, associated with the general linear Lie algebra, are both free over their centers.