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We find modular transformations of normalized characters for the following $W$-algebras: (a) $W^{min}_k(\frak{g})$, where $\frak{g}=D_n \, (n \geq 4)$, or $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$, and $k$ is a negative integer $\geq -2$, or $\geq -\frac{h^{\vee}}{6}-1$, respectively; (b) quantum Hamiltonian reduction of the $\hat{\frak{g}}$-module $L(k\Lambda_0)$, where $\frak{g}$ is a simple Lie algebra, $f$ is its non-zero nilpotent element, and $k$ is a principal admissible level with the denominator $u > \theta(x)$, where $2x$ is the Dynkin characteristic of $f$ and $\theta$ is the highest root of $\frak{g}$. We prove that these vertex algebras are modular invariant. A conformal vertex algebra is called modular invariant if its character $tr_V q^{L_0-c/24}$ converges to a holomorphic modular function in the complex upper half-plane on a congruence subgroup. We find explicit formulas for their characters. Modular invariance of $V$ is important since, in particular, conjecturally it implies that $V$ is simple, and that $V$ is rational, provided that it is lisse.

In this paper we study unitary Ramond twisted representations of minimal $W$-algebras. We classify all such irreducible highest weight representations with a non-Ramond extremal highest weight (unitarity in the Ramond extremal case, as well as in the untwisted extremal case, remains open). We compute the characters of these representations and deduce from them the denominator identities for all superconformal algebras in the Neveu-Schwarz and Ramond sector. Some of the results rely on conjectures about the properties of the quantum Hamiltonian reduction functor in the Ramond sector., Comment: Latex file, 80 pages, minor revision, to appear in Japanese Journal of Mathematics

Simplicity of universal minimal quantum affine W-algebras is studied. As an application, we find the values of the center, for which the vacuum module over a superconformal algebra is irreducible.

We discuss the theory of Poisson vertex algebras and their generalizations in relation to integrability of Hamiltonian PDE. In particular, we discuss the theory of affine classical W-algebras and apply it to construct a large class of integrable Hamiltonian PDE. We also discuss non commutative Hamiltonian PDE in the framework of double PVA, and differential-difference Hamiltonian equations in the framework of multiplicative PVA., Comment: This article is the preprint version of our contribution to the book titled "Encyclopedia of Mathematical Physics 2nd edition". v2: minor editing and corrections following the referee's suggestions

Foundations of the theory of vertex algebras are extended to the non-Archimedean setting.

We prove that any unitary highest weight module over a universal minimal quantum affine $W$-algebra at non-critical level descends to its simple quotient. We find the defining relations of the unitary simple minimal quantum affine $W$-algebras and the list of all their irreducible positive energy modules. We also classify all irreducible highest weight modules for the simple affine vertex algebras in the cases when the associated simple minimal $W$-algebra is unitary., Comment: Latex file, 24 pages, final version, to appear in Communications in Mathematical Physics

To a positive-definite even lattice $Q$, one can associate the lattice vertex algebra $V_Q$, and any automorphism $\sigma$ of $Q$ lifts to an automorphism of $V_Q$. In this paper, we investigate the orbifold vertex algebra $V_Q^\sigma$, which consists of the elements of $V_Q$ fixed under $\sigma$, in the case when $\sigma$ has prime order. We describe explicitly the irreducible $V_Q^\sigma$-modules, compute their characters, and determine the modular transformations of characters. As an application, we find the asymptotic and quantum dimensions of all irreducible $V_Q^\sigma$-modules. We consider in detail the cases when the order of $\sigma$ is $2$ or $3$, as well as the case of permutation orbifolds., Comment: 105 pages

We begin a systematic study of unitary representations of minimal $W$-algebras. In particular, we classify unitary minimal $W$-algebras and make substantial progress in classification of their unitary irreducible highest weight modules. We also compute the characters of these modules., Comment: Latex file, 60 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2012.14643; minor changes in the Introduction

The theory of triples of Poisson brackets and related integrable systems, based on a classical R-matrix R in End_F(g), where g is a finite dimensional associative algebra over a field F viewed as a Lie algebra, was developed by Oevel-Ragnisco and Li-Parmentier [OR89,LP89]. In the present paper we develop an "affine" analogue of this theory by introducing the notion of a continuous Poisson vertex algebra and constructing triples of Poisson lambda-brackets. We introduce the corresponding Adler type identities and apply them to integrability of hierarchies of Hamiltonian PDEs., Comment: 47 pages

We find an explicit formula for the conformal vector of any quantum affine $W$-algebra in its free field realization.

We define a Lax operator as a monic pseudodifferential operator $L(\partial)$ of order $N\geq 1$, such that the Lax equations $\dfrac{\partial L(\partial)}{\partial t_k}=[(L^{\frac kN}(\partial))_+,L(\partial)]$ are consistent and non-zero for infinitely many positive integers $k$. Consistency of an equation means that its flow is defined by an evolutionary vector field. In the present paper we demonstrate that the traditional theory of the KP and the $N$-th KdV hierarchies holds for arbitrary scalar Lax operators., Comment: 39 pages, v2: minor editing and corrections following the referee's suggestions

We find the normal form of nilpotent elements in semisimple Lie algebras that generalizes the Jordan normal form in $\mathfrak{sl}_N$, using the theory of cyclic elements.

We prove that, for a Poisson vertex algebra V, the canonical injective homomorphism of the variational cohomology of V to its classical cohomology is an isomorphism, provided that V, viewed as a differential algebra, is an algebra of differential polynomials in finitely many differential variables. This theorem is one of the key ingredients in the computation of vertex algebra cohomology. For its proof, we introduce the sesquilinear Hochschild and Harrison cohomology complexes and prove a vanishing theorem for the symmetric sesquilinear Harrison cohomology of the algebra of differential polynomials in finitely many differential variables., Comment: 33 pages

We obtain a complete classification of minimal simple unitary $W$-algebras., Comment: This paper has been superseded by ArXiv:2208.02101, where we begin a systematic study of unitary representations of minimal W-algebras. As a special case, we classify unitary minimal W-algebras, fixing a gap in the proof of Theorem 6.4

We classify all integrable triples in simple Lie algebras, up to equivalence. The importance of this problem stems from the fact that for each such equivalence class one can construct the corresponding integrable hierarchy of bi-Hamiltonian PDE. The simplest integrable triple $(f,0,e)$ in $\mathfrak{sl}_2$ corresponds to the KdV hierarchy, and the triple $(f,0,e_\theta)$, where $f$ is the sum of negative simple root vectors and $e_\theta$ is the highest root vector of a simple Lie algebra, corresponds to the Drinfeld-Sokolov hierarchy.

We study invariant Hermitian forms on a conformal vertex algebra and on their (twisted) modules. We establish existence of a non-zero invariant Hermitian form on an arbitrary $W$-algebra. We show that for a minimal simple $W$-algebra $W_k(\mathfrak g,\theta/2)$ this form can be unitary only when its $\tfrac{1}{2}\mathbb Z$-grading is compatible with parity, unless $W_k(\mathfrak g,\theta/2)$ "collapses" to its affine subalgebra., Comment: Latex file, 33 pages; minor revision. To appear in Communications in Contemporary Mathematics

We prove that all classical affine W-algebras W(g,f), where g is a simple Lie algebra and f is its non-zero nilpotent element, admit an integrable hierarchy of bi-Hamiltonian PDEs, except possibly for one nilpotent conjugacy class in G_2, one in F_4, and five in E_8., Comment: 18 pages

We show that any polynomial tau-function of the s-component KP and the BKP hierarchies can be interpreted as a zero mode of an appropriate combinatorial generating function. As an application, we obtain explicit formulas for all polynomial tau-functions of these hierarchies in terms of Schur polynomials and Q-Schur polynomials respectively. We also obtain formulas for polynomial tau-functions of the reductions of the s-component KP hierarchy associated to partitions in s parts., Comment: 28 pages

We review cohomology theories corresponding to the chiral and classical operads. The first one is the cohomology theory of vertex algebras, while the second one is the classical cohomology of Poisson vertex algebras (PVA), and we construct a spectral sequence relating them. Since in "good" cases the classical PVA cohomology coincides with the variational PVA cohomology and there are well-developed methods to compute the latter, this enables us to compute the cohomology of vertex algebras in many interesting cases. Finally, we describe a unified approach to integrability through vanishing of the first cohomology, which is applicable to both classical and quantum systems of Hamiltonian PDEs., Comment: 56 pages

A Lie conformal algebra is an algebraic structure that encodes the singular part of the operator product expansion of chiral fields in conformal field theory. A Lie pseudoalgebra is a generalization of this structure, for which the algebra of polynomials k[\partial] in the indeterminate is replaced by the universal enveloping algebra U(d) of a finite-dimensional Lie algebra d over the base field k. The finite (i.e., finitely generated over U(d)) simple Lie pseudoalgebras were classified in our 2001 paper [BDK]. The complete list consists of primitive Lie pseudoalgebras of type W, S, H, and K, and of current Lie pseudoalgebras over them or over simple finite-dimensional Lie algebras. The present paper is the third in our series on representation theory of simple Lie pseudoalgebras. In the first paper, we showed that any finite irreducible module over a primitive Lie pseudoalgebra of type W or S is either an irreducible tensor module or the image of the differential in a member of the pseudo de Rham complex. In the second paper, we established a similar result for primitive Lie pseudoalgebras of type K, with the pseudo de Rham complex replaced by a certain reduction, called the contact pseudo de Rham complex. This reduction in the context of contact geometry was discovered by M. Rumin [Rum]. In the present paper, we show that for primitive Lie pseudoalgebras of type H, a similar to type K result holds with the contact pseudo de Rham complex replaced by a suitable complex. However, the type H case in more involved, since the annihilation algebra is not the corresponding Lie-Cartan algebra, as in other cases, but an irreducible central extension. When the action of the center of the annihilation algebra is trivial, this complex is related to work by M. Eastwood [E] on conformally symplectic geometry, and we call it conformally symplectic pseudo de Rham complex., Comment: 62 pages

We prove that the singularities of the $R$-matrix $R(k)$ of the minimal quantization of the adjoint representation of the Yangian $Y(\mathfrak g)$ of a finite dimensional simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$ are the opposite of the roots of the monic polynomial $p(k)$ entering in the OPE expansions of quantum fields of conformal weight $3/2$ of the universal minimal affine $W$-algebra at level $k$ attached to $\mathfrak g$., Comment: 31 pages. latex file, minor revision, to appear in Communications in Contemporary Mathematics

For each partition p of an integer N \geq 2, consisting of r parts, an integrable hierarchy of Lax type Hamiltonian PDE has been constructed recently by some of us. In the present paper we show that any tau-function of the p-reduced r-component KP hierarchy produces a solution of this integrable hierarchy. Along the way we provide an algorithm for the explicit construction of the generators of the corresponding classical W-algebra W(gl_N,p), and write down explicit formulas for evolution of these generators along the Hamiltonian flows., Comment: 49 pages, v2: minor editing and corrections following the referee suggestions

It is shown that, given a representation of a quiver over a finite field, one can check in polynomial time whether it is absolutely indecomposable., Comment: 7 pages Typos are corrected

We construct a canonical map from the Poisson vertex algebra cohomology complex to the differential Harrison cohomology complex, which restricts to an isomorphism on the top degree. This is an important step in the computation of Poisson vertex algebra and vertex algebra cohomologies., Comment: 23 pages

A definition of a quantum vertex algebra, which is a deformation of a vertex algebra, was proposed by Etingof and Kazhdan in 1998. In a nutshell, a quantum vertex algebra is a braided state-field correspondence which satisfies associativity and braided locality axioms. We develop a structure theory of quantum vertex algebras, parallel to that of vertex algebras. In particular, we introduce braided n-products for a braided state-field correspondence and prove for quantum vertex algebras a version of the Borcherds identity., Comment: 32 pages

We develop methods for computation of Poisson vertex algebra cohomology. This cohomology is computed for the free bosonic and fermionic Poisson vertex (super)algebras, as well as for the universal affine and Virasoro Poisson vertex algebras. We establish finite dimensionality of this cohomology for conformal Poisson vertex (super)algebras that are finitely and freely generated by elements of positive conformal weight., Comment: 42 pages, revised version with some notational changes

We establish an explicit isomorphism between the associated graded of the filtered chiral operad and the classical operad, which is useful for computing the cohomology of vertex algebras., Comment: 18 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2002.03612

The trace functions for the Parafermion vertex operator algebra associated to any finite dimensional simple Lie algebra $\g$ and any positive integer $k$ are studied and an explicit modular transformation formula of the trace functions is obtained., Comment: 16 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1412.8154

We develop the notions of multiplicative Lie conformal and Poisson vertex algebras, local and non-local, and their connections to the theory of integrable differential-difference Hamiltonian equations. We establish relations of these notions to $q$-deformed $W$-algebras and lattice Poisson algebras. We introduce the notion of Adler type pseudodifference operators and apply them to integrability of differential-difference Hamiltonian equations., Comment: 42 pages

We translate the construction of the chiral operad by Beilinson and Drinfeld to the purely algebraic language of vertex algebras. Consequently, the general construction of a cohomology complex associated to a linear operad produces a vertex algebra cohomology complex. Likewise, the associated graded of the chiral operad leads to a classical operad, which produces a Poisson vertex algebra cohomology complex. The latter is closely related to the variational Poisson cohomology studied by two of the authors., Comment: 72 pages, in the second version we corrected the part related to the cohomology of the free boson (Sec.11.3) and some other minor errors

We introduce the notion of a multiplicative Poisson $\lambda$-bracket, which plays the same role in the theory of Hamiltonian differential-difference equations as the usual Poisson $\lambda$-bracket plays in the theory of Hamiltonian PDE. We classify multiplicative Poisson $\lambda$-brackets in one difference variable up to order 5. Applying the Lenard-Magri scheme to a compatible pair of multiplicative Poisson $\lambda$-brackets of order 1 and 2, we establish integrability of some differential-difference equations, generalizing the Volterra chain., Comment: 37 pages

We deal with some aspects of the theory of conformal embeddings of affine vertex algebras, providing a new proof of the Symmetric Space Theorem and a criterion for conformal embeddings of equal rank subalgebras. We finally study some examples of embeddings at the critical level. We prove a criterion for embeddings at the critical level which enables us to prove equality of certain central elements., Comment: 18 pages, Latex file

We discover a large class of simple affine vertex algebras $V_{k} (\mathfrak g)$, associated to basic Lie superalgebras $\mathfrak g$ at non-admissible collapsing levels $k$, having exactly one irreducible $\mathfrak g$-locally finite module in the category ${\mathcal O}$. In the case when $\mathfrak g$ is a Lie algebra, we prove a complete reducibility result for $V_k(\mathfrak g)$-modules at an arbitrary collapsing level. We also determine the generators of the maximal ideal in the universal affine vertex algebra $V^k (\mathfrak g)$ at certain negative integer levels. Considering some conformal embeddings in the simple affine vertex algebras $V_{-1/2} (C_n)$ and $V_{-4}(E_7)$, we surprisingly obtain the realization of non-simple affine vertex algebras of types $B$ and $D$ having exactly one non-trivial ideal., Comment: 25 pages. In this replacement we correct some typos on page 19 at the end of Section 7, that we learned from T. Arakawa, X. Dai, J. Fasquel. B. Li and A. Moreau

We prove a character formula for the irreducible modules from the category $\mathcal{O}$ over the simple affine vertex algebra of type $A_n$ and $C_n$ $(n \geq 2)$ of level $k=-1$. We also give a conjectured character formula for types $D_4$, $E_6$, $E_7$, $E_8$ and levels $k=-1, \cdots, -b$, where $b=2,3,4,6$ respectively.

We prove that any classical affine W-algebra W(g,f), where g is a classical Lie algebra and f is an arbitrary nilpotent element of g, carries an integrable Hamiltonian hierarchy of Lax type equations. This is based on the theories of generalized Adler type operators and of generalized quasideterminants, which we develop in the paper. Moreover, we show that under certain conditions, the product of two generalized Adler type operators is a Lax type operator. We use this fact to construct a large number of integrable Hamiltonian systems, recovering, as a special case, all KdV type hierarchies constructed by Drinfeld and Sokolov., Comment: 57 pages. v3: minor corrections

We complete the classification of conformal embeddings of a maximally reductive subalgebra $\mathfrak k$ into a simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$ at non-integrable non-critical levels $k$ by dealing with the case when $\mathfrak k$ has rank less than that of $\mathfrak g$. We describe some remarkable instances of decomposition of the vertex algebra $V_{k}(\mathfrak g)$ as a module for the vertex subalgebra generated by $\mathfrak k$. We discuss decompositions of conformal embeddings and constructions of new affine Howe dual pairs at negative levels. In particular, we study an example of conformal embeddings $A_1 \times A_1 \hookrightarrow C_3$ at level $k=-1/2$, and obtain explicit branching rules by applying certain $q$-series identity. In the analysis of conformal embedding $A_1 \times D_4 \hookrightarrow C_8$ at level $k=-1/2$ we detect subsingular vectors which do not appear in the branching rules of the classical Howe dual pairs., Comment: Latex file, 37 pages; revised version. To appear in Selecta Mathematica

It is well known that the normaized characters of integrable highest weight modules of given level over an affine Lie algebra $\hat{\frak{g}}$ span an $SL_2(\mathbf{Z})$-invariant space. This result extends to admissible $\hat{\frak{g}}$-modules, where $\frak{g}$ is a simple Lie algebra or $osp_{1|n}$. Applying the quantum Hamiltonian reduction (QHR) to admissible $\hat{\frak{g}}$-modules when $\frak{g} =sl_2$ (resp. $=osp_{1|2}$) one obtains minimal series modules over the Virasoro (resp. $N=1$ superconformal algebras), which form modular invariant families. Another instance of modular invariance occurs for boundary level admissible modules, including when $\frak{g}$ is a basic Lie superalgebra. For example, if $\frak{g}=sl_{2|1}$ (resp. $=osp_{3|2}$), we thus obtain modular invariant families of $\hat{\frak{g}}$-modules, whose QHR produces the minimal series modules for the $N=2$ superconformal algebras (resp. a modular invariant family of $N=3$ superconformal algebra modules). However, in the case when $\frak{g}$ is a basic Lie superalgebra different from a simple Lie algebra or $osp_{1|n}$, modular invariance of normalized supercharacters of admissible $\hat{\frak{g}}$-modules holds outside of boundary levels only after their modification in the spirit of Zwegers' modification of mock theta functions. Applying the QHR, we obtain families of representations of $N=2,3,4$ and big $N=4$ superconformal algebras, whose modified (super)characters span an $SL_2(\mathbf{Z})$-invariant space.

Recently a remarkable map between 4-dimensional superconformal field theories and vertex algebras has been constructed \cite{BLLPRV15}. This has lead to new insights in the theory of characters of vertex algebras. In particular it was observed that in some cases these characters decompose in nice products \cite{XYY16}, \cite{Y16}. The purpose of this note is to explain the latter phenomena. Namely, we point out that it is immediate by our character formula \cite{KW88}, \cite{KW89} that in the case of a \textit{boundary level} the characters of admissible representations of affine Kac-Moody algebras and the corresponding $W$-algebras decompose in products in terms of the Jacobi form $ \vartheta_{11}(\tau, z)$.

We study the quantum finite W-algebras W(gl_N,f), associated to the Lie algebra gl_N, and its arbitrary nilpotent element f. We construct for such an algebra an r_1 x r_1 matrix L(z) of Yangian type, where r_1 is the number of maximal parts of the partition corresponding to f. The matrix L(z) is the quantum finite analogue of the operator of Adler type which we introduced in the classical affine setup. As in the latter case, the matrix L(z) is obtained as a generalized quasideterminant. It should encode the whole structure of W(gl_N,f), including explicit formulas for generators and the commutation relations among them. We describe in all detail the examples of principal, rectangular and minimal nilpotent elements., Comment: 37 pages

We present methods for computing the explicit decomposition of the minimal simple affine $W$-algebra $W_k(\mathfrak g, \theta)$ at a conformal level $k$ as a module for its maximal affine subalgebra $\mathcal V_k(\mathfrak g^{\natural})$. A particular emphasis is given on the application of affine fusion rules to the determination of branching rules. In almost all cases when $\mathfrak g^{\natural}$ is a semisimple Lie algebra, we show that, for a suitable conformal level $k$, $W_k(\mathfrak g, \theta)$ is isomorphic to an extension of $\mathcal V_k(\mathfrak g^{\natural})$ by its simple module. We are able to prove that in certain cases $W_k(\mathfrak g, \theta)$ is a simple current extension of $\mathcal V_k(\mathfrak g^{\natural})$. In order to analyze more complicated non simple current extensions at conformal levels, we present an explicit realization of the simple $W$-algebra $W_{k}(sl(4), \theta)$ at $k=-8/3$. We prove, as conjectured in arXiv:1407.1527, that $W_{k}(sl(4), \theta)$ is isomorphic to the vertex algebra $\mathcal R^{(3)}$, and construct infinitely many singular vectors using screening operators. We also construct a new family of simple current modules for the vertex algebra $V_k (sl(n))$ at certain admissible levels and for $V_k (sl(m | n)), m\ne n, m,n\geq 1$ at arbitrary levels., Comment: 48 pages, latex file. Final version, to appear in Japanese Mathematical Journal

We find all values of $k\in \mathbb C$, for which the embedding of the maximal affine vertex algebra in a simple minimal W-algebra $W_k(\mathfrak g,\theta)$ is conformal, where $\mathfrak g$ is a basic simple Lie superalgebra and $-\theta$ its minimal root. In particular, it turns out that if $W_k(\mathfrak g,\theta)$ does not collapse to its affine part, then the possible values of these $k$ are either $-\frac{2}{3} h^\vee$ or $-\frac{h^\vee-1}{2}$, where $h^\vee$ is the dual Coxeter number of $\mathfrak g$ for the normalization $(\theta,\theta)=2$. As an application of our results, we present a realization of simple affine vertex algebra $V_{-\tfrac{n+1}{2} } (sl(n+1))$ inside of the tensor product of the vertex algebra $W_{\tfrac{n-1}{2}} (sl(2| n), \theta)$ (also called the Bershadsky-Knizhnik algebra) with a lattice vertex algebra., Comment: Latex File, 30 pages, minor corrections

We introduce the notion of universal odd generalized Poisson superalgebra associated to an associative algebra A, by generalizing a construction made in [5]. By making use of this notion we give a complete classification of simple linearly compact (generalized) n-Nambu-Poisson algebras over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero., Comment: 22 pages

We give a characterization of modified (in the sense of Zwegers) mock theta functions, parallel to that of ordinary theta functions. Namely, modified mock theta functions are characterized by their analyticity properties, elliptic transformation properties, and by being annihilated by certain second order differential operators., Comment: 25 pages

We apply the new method for constructing integrable Hamiltonian hierarchies of Lax type equations developed in our previous paper, to show that all W-algebras W(gl_N,f) carry such a hierarchy. As an application, we show that all vector constrained KP hierarchies and their matrix generalizations are obtained from these hierarchies by Dirac reduction, which provides the former with a bi-Poisson structure., Comment: 48 pages. Minor revisions and a correction to formulas (7.25) and (7.48)

Building on work of the first and last author, we prove that an embedding of simple affine vertex algebras $V_{\mathbf{k}}(\mathfrak g^0)\subset V_{k}(\mathfrak g)$, corresponding to an embedding of a maximal equal rank reductive subalgebra $\mathfrak g^0$ into a simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$, is conformal if and only if the corresponding central charges are equal. We classify the equal rank conformal embeddings. Furthermore we describe, in almost all cases, when $V_{k}(\mathfrak g)$ decomposes finitely as a $V_{\mathbf{k}}(\mathfrak g^0)$-module., Comment: Latex file, 31 pages, minor corrections, to appear in Communications in Mathematical Physics