Generalized conformal modules over the Virasoro conformal algebra

Abstract

This paper investigates generalized conformal modules over the Virasoro conformal algebra $Vir$, a notion originally defined by V.~Kac but largely unexplored in the literature. First, we present a twisted construction that produces new generalized conformal modules over any Lie conformal algebra from existing conformal modules. Then we give a complete classification of non-trivial generalized conformal modules over $Vir$ that are free of rank one over $\mathbb C[\partial]$, which in turn yields a classification of modules over the Lie algebra \(W_1=\bigoplus_{i\geq -1}\C L_i\) of vector fields on a line that are free of rank one over $\mathbb C[L_{-1}]$ with explicit actions expressed in terms of Bell polynomials. For arbitrary finite rank $n$, we construct a class of generalized conformal modules $V_{a,b,C(\partial)}$ and establish a complete irreducibility criterion in terms of the differential operator $\mathcal L=\frac{d}{d\partial}+C(\partial)$ acting on $\mathbb{C}(\partial)^n$. In the case of $n=2$, this criterion reduces to the absence of rational solutions of a Riccati equation. Then we prove the existence of irreducible generalized conformal modules of arbitrary finite rank, revealing a striking contrast with the conformal setting. We also construct and classify a family of infinite torsion generalized conformal modules over $Vir$, which are non-trivial and irreducible under suitable conditions.