Non-negative integral level affine Lie algebra tensor categories and their associativity isomorphisms

TL;DR

This paper constructs associativity isomorphisms for tensor categories of finite-dimensional modules related to affine Lie algebras, linking vertex operator algebra theory with quantum group categories.

Contribution

It provides a direct construction of associativity isomorphisms in finite-dimensional module categories using Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations, connecting vertex tensor categories with quantum groups.

Findings

Establishes a correspondence between affine Lie algebra modules and quantum group modules.

Constructs associativity isomorphisms explicitly via KZ equations.

Links vertex tensor category theory with Kazhdan-Lusztig quantum group categories.

Abstract

For a finite-dimensional simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, we use the vertex tensor category theory of Huang and Lepowsky to identify the category of standard modules for the affine Lie algebra $\hat{\mathfrak{g}}$ at a fixed level $\ell\in\mathbb{N}$ with a certain tensor category of finite-dimensional $\mathfrak{g}$-modules. More precisely, the category of level $\ell$ standard $\hat{\mathfrak{g}}$-modules is the module category for the simple vertex operator algebra $L_{\hat{\mathfrak{g}}}(\ell,0)$, and as is well known, this category is equivalent as an abelian category to $\mathbf{D}(\mathfrak{g},\ell)$, the category of finite-dimensional modules for the Zhu's algebra $A(L_{\hat{\mathfrak{g}}}(\ell,0))$, which is a quotient of $U(\mathfrak{g})$. Our main result is a direct construction using Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations of the associativity isomorphisms in $\mathbf{D}(\mathfrak{g},\ell)$ induced from the associativity isomorphisms constructed by Huang and Lepowsky in $L_{hat{\mathfrak{g}}}(\ell,0)-\mathbf{mod}$. This construction shows that $\mathbf{D}(\mathfrak{g},\ell)$ is closely related to the Drinfeld category of $U(\mathfrak{g})[[\hbar]]$-modules used by Kazhdan and Lusztig to identify categories of $\hat{\mathfrak{g}}$-modules at irrational and most negative rational levels with categories of quantum group modules.