We show that the category of finite-length generalized modules for the singlet vertex algebra M(p), p∈Z_+, is equal to the category O_M(p) of C_1-cofinite M(p)-modules, and that this category admits the vertex algebraic braided tensor category structure of Huang-Lepowsky-Zhang. Since O_M(p) includes the uncountably many typical M(p)-modules, which are simple M(p)-module structures on Heisenberg Fock modules, our results substantially extend our previous work on tensor categories of atypical M(p)-modules. We also introduce a tensor subcategory O_M(p)^T, graded by an algebraic torus T, which has enough projectives and is conjecturally tensor equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional weight modules for the unrolled restricted quantum group of sl_2 at a 2pth root of unity. We compute all tensor products involving simple and projective M(p)-modules, and we prove that both tensor categories O_M(p) and O_M(p)^T are rigid and thus also ribbon. As an application, we use vertex operator algebra extension theory to show that the representation categories of all finite cyclic orbifolds of the triplet vertex algebras W(p) are non-semisimple modular tensor categories, and we confirm a conjecture of Adamović-Lin-Milas on the classification of simple modules for these finite cyclic orbifolds.

Let V⊆A be a conformal inclusion of vertex operator algebras and let C be a category of grading-restricted generalized V-modules that admits the vertex algebraic braided tensor category structure of Huang-Lepowsky-Zhang. We give conditions under which C inherits semisimplicity from the category of grading-restricted generalized A-modules in C, and vice versa. The most important condition is that A be a rigid V-module in C with non-zero categorical dimension, that is, we assume the index of V as a subalgebra of A is finite and non-zero. As a consequence, we show that if A is strongly rational, then V is also strongly rational under the following conditions: A contains V as a V-module direct summand, V is C_2-cofinite with a rigid tensor category of modules, and A has non-zero categorical dimension as a V-module. These results are vertex operator algebra interpretations of theorems proved for general commutative algebras in braided tensor categories. We also generalize these results to the case that A is a vertex operator superalgebra.

Let V be a vertex operator algebra with a category C of (generalized) modules that has vertex tensor category structure, and thus braided tensor category structure, and let A be a vertex operator (super)algebra extension of V. We employ tensor categories to study untwisted (also called local) A-modules in C, using results of Huang-Kirillov-Lepowsky showing that A is a (super)algebra object in C and that generalized A-modules in C correspond exactly to local modules for the corresponding (super)algebra object. Both categories, of local modules for a C-algebra and (under suitable conditions) of generalized A-modules, have natural braided monoidal category structure, given in the first case by Pareigis and Kirillov-Ostrik and in the second case by Huang-Lepowsky-Zhang. Our main result is that the Huang-Kirillov-Lepowsky isomorphism of categories between local (super)algebra modules and extended vertex operator (super)algebra modules is also an isomorphism of braided monoidal (super)categories. Using this result, we show that induction from a suitable subcategory of V-modules to A-modules is a vertex tensor functor. We give two applications. First, we derive Verlinde formulae for regular vertex operator superalgebras and regular (1/2)ℤ-graded vertex operator algebras by realizing them as (super)algebra objects in the vertex tensor categories of their even and ℤ-graded components, respectively. Second, we analyze parafermionic cosets C=Com(V_L,V) where L is a positive definite even lattice and V is regular. If the category of either V-modules or C-modules is understood, then our results classify all inequivalent simple modules for the other algebra and determine their fusion rules and modular character transformations. We illustrate both directions with several examples.

We relate commutative algebras in braided tensor categories to braid-reversed tensor equivalences, motivated by vertex algebra representation theory. First, for C a braided tensor category, we give a detailed construction of the canonical algebra in C⊠C^rev: if C is semisimple but not necessarily finite or rigid, then ⨁X∈Irr(C) X′⊠X is a commutative algebra, with X′ a representing object for Hom_C(∙⊗_C X,1_C). Conversely, let A=⨁i∈I U_i ⊠ V_i be a simple commutative algebra in U⊠V with U semisimple and rigid but not necessarily finite, and V rigid but not necessarily semisimple. If the unit objects of U and V form a commuting pair in A, we show there is a braid-reversed equivalence between subcategories of U and V sending U_i to (V_i)*. When U and V are module categories for simple vertex operator algebras U and V, we glue U and V along U⊠V via a map τ: Irr(U)→Obj(V) such that τ(U)=V to create A=⨁X∈Irr(U) X′⊗τ(X). Thus under certain conditions, τ extends to a braid-reversed equivalence between U and V if and only if A is a simple conformal vertex algebra extending U⊗V. As examples, we glue Kazhdan-Lusztig categories at generic levels to obtain new vertex algebras extending the tensor product of two affine vertex algebras, and we prove braid-reversed equivalences between certain module categories for affine vertex algebras and W-algebras at admissible levels.

We show that direct limit completions of vertex tensor categories inherit vertex and braided tensor category structures, under conditions that hold for example for all known Virasoro and affine Lie algebra tensor categories. A consequence is that the theory of vertex operator (super)algebra extensions also applies to infinite-order extensions. As an application, we relate rigid and non-degenerate vertex tensor categories of certain modules for both the affine vertex superalgebra of osp(1|2) and the N=1 super Virasoro algebra to categories of Virasoro algebra modules via certain cosets.

We show that the Kazhdan-Lusztig category KL_k of level-k finite-length modules with highest-weight composition factors for the affine Lie superalgebra gl(1|1)ˆ has vertex algebraic braided tensor supercategory structure, and that its full subcategory O_k^fin of objects with semisimple Cartan subalgebra actions is a tensor subcategory. We show that every simple gl(1|1)ˆ-module in KL_k has a projective cover in O_k^fin, and we determine all fusion rules involving simple and projective objects in O_k^fin. Then using Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations, we prove that KL_k and O_k^fin are rigid. As an application of the tensor supercategory structure on O_k^fin, we study certain module categories for the affine Lie superalgebra sl(2|1)ˆ at levels 1 and −1/2. In particular, we obtain a tensor category of sl(2|1)ˆ-modules at level −1/2 that includes relaxed highest-weight modules and their images under spectral flow.

Let O_c be the category of finite-length central-charge-c modules for the Virasoro Lie algebra whose composition factors are irreducible quotients of reducible Verma modules. Recently, it has been shown that O_c admits vertex algebraic tensor category structure for any c∈C. Here, we determine the structure of this tensor category when c=13−6p−6/p for an integer p>1. For such c, we prove that O_c is rigid, and we construct projective covers of irreducible modules in a natural tensor subcategory O_c^0. We then compute all tensor products involving irreducible modules and their projective covers. Using these tensor product formulas, we show that O_c has a semisimplification which, as an abelian category, is the Deligne product of two tensor subcategories that are tensor equivalent to the Kazhdan-Lusztig categories for affine sl_2 at levels −2+p^±1. Next, as a straightforward consequence of the braided tensor category structure on O_c together with the theory of vertex operator algebra extensions, we rederive known results for triplet vertex operator algebras W(p), including rigidity, fusion rules, and construction of projective covers. Finally, we prove a recent conjecture of Negron that O_c^0 is braided tensor equivalent to the PSL(2,C)-equivariantization of the category of W(p)-modules.

A two-dimensional chiral conformal field theory can be viewed mathematically as the representation theory of its chiral algebra, a vertex operator algebra. Vertex operator algebras are especially well suited for studying logarithmic conformal field theory (in which correlation functions have logarithmic singularities arising from non-semisimple modules for the chiral algebra) because of the logarithmic tensor category theory of Huang, Lepowsky, and Zhang. In this paper, we study not-necessarily-semisimple or rigid braided tensor categories C of modules for the fixed-point vertex operator subalgebra V^G of a vertex operator (super)algebra V with finite automorphism group G. The main results are that every V^G-module in C with a unital and associative V-action is a direct sum of g-twisted V-modules for possibly several g∈G, that the category of all such twisted V-modules is a braided G-crossed (super)category, and that the G-equivariantization of this braided G-crossed (super)category is braided tensor equivalent to the original category C of V^G-modules. This generalizes results of Kirillov and Müger proved using rigidity and semisimplicity. We also apply the main results to the orbifold rationality problem: whether V^G is strongly rational if V is strongly rational. We show that V^G is indeed strongly rational if V is strongly rational, G is any finite automorphism group, and V^G is C_2-cofinite.

Let A be an abelian category and B be the Happel-Reiten-Smalo tilt of A with respect to a torsion pair. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a derived equivalence between A and B, which is compatible with the inclusion of B into the derived category of A. As applications, we obtain new derived equivalences related to splitting torsion pairs, TTF-triples and two-term silting subcategories, respectively. We prove that for the realization functor of any bounded t-structure, its denseness implies its fully-faithfulness.

An important goal in studying the relations between unitary VOAs and conformal nets is to prove the equivalence of their ribbon categories. In this article, we prove this conjecture for many familiar examples. Our main idea is to construct new structures associated to conformal nets: the categorical extensions.