Alexander Kirillov

Modular categories and orbifold models

Abstract: In this paper, we try to answer the following question: given a modular tensor category ? with an action of a compact group G, is it possible to describe in a suitable sense the “quotient” category ?/G? We give a full answer in the case when ?=?ℯ? is the category of vector spaces; in this case, ?ℯ?/G turns out to be the category of representation of Drinfelds double D(G). This should be considered as the category theory analog of the topological identity {pt}/G=BG.This implies a conjecture of Dijkgraaf, Vafa, E. Verlinde and H. Verlinde regarding so-called orbifold conformal field theories: if ? is a vertex operator algebra which has a unique irreducible module, ? itself, and G is a compact group of automorphisms of ?, and some not too restrictive technical conditions are satisfied, then G is finite, and the category of representations of the algebra of invariants, ?G, is equivalent as a tensor category to the category of representations of Drinfelds double D(G). We also get some partial results in the non-holomorphic case, i.e. when ? has more than one simple module.

Braided Tensor Categories and Extensions of Vertex Operator Algebras

Let V be a vertex operator algebra satisfying suitable conditions such that in particular its module category has a natural vertex tensor category structure, and consequently, a natural braided tensor category structure. We prove that the notions of extension (i.e., enlargement) of V and of commutative associative algebra, with uniqueness of unit and with trivial twist, in the braided tensor category of V-modules are equivalent.