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.

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.

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.

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.

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.