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Geoffrey Mason

Publications and source records attributed to Geoffrey Mason.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Balanced root systems and a Schellekens-type list for holomorphic vertex operator algebras of central charge $32$

We study a special class of holomorphic vertex operator algebras (VOAs) that we call \emph{balanced}.\ For a balanced, holomorphic VOA $V=\mathbb{C}\mathbf{1}\oplus V_1\oplus\dots$ with $c=32$ or $40$ we show that the Virasoro vectors of $V$ and the subVOA generated by $V_1$ coincide and use this result to provide a Schellekens-type list of possible root systems that may occur.

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arXiv2026

Vertex operator algebra bundles on modular curves and their associated modular forms

This paper describes the vector bundle on the elliptic modular curve that is associated to a vertex operator algebra $V$ (VOA) or more generally a quasi-vertex operator algebra (QVOA), with a view towards future applications aimed at studying the characters of VOAs. We explain how the modes of sections of $V$ give rise naturally to $V$-valued quasi-modular forms. The space $Q(V)$ of $V$-valued quasi-modular forms is endowed with the structure of a doubled QVOA, and in particular the algebra $Q$ of quasi-modular forms is itself a doubled QVOA. $Q(V)$ also admits a natural derivative operator arising from the connection on the bundle defined by $V$ and the modular derivative, which we call the raising operator. We introduce an associated lowering operator $\Lambda$ on $Q(V)$ having the property that the $V$-valued modular forms $M(V)\subseteq Q(V)$ are the kernel of $\Lambda$. This extends the classical theory of scalar-valued quasi-modular forms. We exhibit an explicit isomorphism of $M(V)$ with $M \otimes V$. Finally, the coordinate invariance of vertex operators implies that $M(V)$ has a natural Hecke theory, and we use this isomorphism to fully describe the Hecke eigensystems: they are the same as the systems of eigenvalues that arise from scalar-valued quasi-modular forms.

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arXiv2024

Invitation to $p$-adic vertex algebras

An overview of the authors' ideas about the process of completing a $p$-adically normed space in the setting of vertex operator algebras. We focus in particular on the $p$-adic Heisenberg VOA and its connections with $p$-adic modular forms.

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arXiv2023

On $p$-adic modularity in the $p$-adic Heisenberg algebra

We establish existence theorems for the image of the normalized character map of the $p$-adic Heisenberg algebra $S$ taking values in the algebra of Serre $p$-adic modular forms $M_p$. In particular, we describe the construction of an analytic family of states in $S$ whose character values are the well-known $\Lambda$-adic family of $p$-adic Eisenstein series of level one built from classical Eisenstein series. This extends previous work treating a specialization at weight $2$, and illustrates that the image of the character map contains nonzero $p$-adic modular forms of every $p$-adic weight. In a different direction, we prove that for $p=2$ the image of the rescaled character map contains every overconvergent $2$-adic modular form of weight zero and tame level one; in particular, it contains the polynomial algebra $\mathbf{Q}_2[j^{-1}]$. For general primes $p$, we study the square-bracket formalism for $S$ and develop the idea that although states in $S$ do not generally have a conformal weight, they can acquire a $p$-adic weight in the sense of Serre.

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arXiv2022

p-adic vertex operator algebras

We postulate axioms for a chiral half of a nonarchimedean 2-dimensional bosonic conformal field theory, that is, a vertex operator algebra in which a p-adic Banach space replaces the traditional Hilbert space. We study some consequences of our axioms leading to the construction of various examples, including p-adic commutative Banach rings and p-adic versions of the Virasoro, Heisenberg, and the Moonshine module vertex operator algebras. Serre p-adic modular forms occur naturally in some of these examples as limits of classical 1-point functions.

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arXiv2022

Modular quasi-Hopf algebras and groups with one involution

In a previous paper the authors constructed a class of quasi-Hopf algebras $D^{\omega}(G, A)$ associated to a finite group $G$, generalizing the twisted quantum double construction. We gave necessary and sufficient conditions, cohomological in nature, that the corresponding module category $Rep(D^{\omega}(G, A))$ is a modular tensor category.\ In the present paper we verify the cohomological conditions for the class of groups $G$ which \emph{contain a unique involution}, and in this way we obtain an explicit construction of a new class of modular quasi-Hopf algebras.\ We develop the basic theory for general finite groups $G$, and also a parallel theory concerned with the question of when $Rep(D^{\omega}(G, A))$ is super-modular rather than modular. We give some explicit examples involving binary polyhedral groups and some sporadic simple groups.

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arXiv2021

Character Vectors of Strongly Regular Vertex Operator Algebras

We summarize interactions between vertex operator algebras and number theory through the lens of Zhu theory. The paper begins by recalling basic facts on vertex operator algebras (VOAs) and modular forms, and then explains Zhu's theorem on characters of VOAs in a slightly new form. We then axiomatize the desirable properties of modular forms that have played a role in Zhu's theorem and related classification results of VOAs. After this we summarize known classification results in rank two, emphasizing the geometric theory of vector-valued modular forms as a means for simplifying the discussion. We conclude by summarizing some known examples, and by providing some new examples, in higher ranks. In particular, the paper contains a number of potential character vectors that could plausibly correspond to a VOA, but such that the existence of a corresponding hypothetical VOA is presently unknown.

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arXiv2021

Decompositions of index one Jacobi forms into $N=4$ characters and formulas for mock modular forms

It is shown that every weak Jacobi form of weight zero and index one on a congruence subgroup of the full Jacobi group can be decomposed into $N=4$ superconformal characters. Additionally, a simple expression for the mock modular form determining the superconformal character coefficients is obtained, as well as a universal completion structure. Along the way, a useful vector-valued mock modular form is also found and studied. These results are applied to analyze some Jacobi trace functions associated to super vertex operator algebras and a distinguished sector.

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arXiv2019

Classification of some vertex operator algebras of rank 3

We discuss the classification of strongly regular vertex operator algebras (VOAs) with exactly three simple modules whose character vector satisfies a monic modular linear differential equation with irreducible monodromy. Our Main Theorem provides a classification of all such VOAs in the form of one infinite family of affine VOAs, one individual affine algebra and two Virasoro algebras, together with a family of eleven exceptional character vectors and associated data that we call the $U$-series. We prove that there are at least $15$ VOAs in the $U$-series occurring as commutants in a Schellekens list holomorphic VOA. These include the affine algebra $E_{8,2}$ and H\"ohn's Baby Monster VOA $\mathbf{VB}^\natural_{(0)}$ but the other $13$ seem to be new. The idea in the proof of our Main Theorem is to exploit properties of a family of vector-valued modular forms with rational functions as Fourier coefficients, which solves a family of modular linear differential equations in terms of generalized hypergeometric series.

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arXiv2018

Five not-so-easy pieces:open problems about vertex rings

We present five open problems in the theory of vertex rings. They cover a variety of different areas of research where vertex rings have been, or are threatening to be, relevant. They have also been chosen because I personally find them interesting, and because I think each of them has a chance (the title of the paper notwithstanding!) of being solved. In each case we give some explanatory background and motivation, sometimes including proofs of special cases. Beyond vertex rings per se, the topics covered include connections to real Lie theory, formal group laws, modular linear differential equations, Pierce bundles, and genus 2 Siegel modular forms and the Moonshine Module.

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arXiv2018

Vertex Operator Algebras with central charge 8 and 16

We will partially classify spaces of characters of vertex operator algebras $V$ with central charges 8 and 16, such that the spaces of characters is 3-dimensional and the characters forms a basis of the solution space of a third order monic modular linear differential equation with rational indicial roots. Assuming a mild arithmetic condition, we show that the space of characters of $V$ coincides with the space of characters of lattice vertex operators associated with integral lattices $\sqrt{2}E_8$ or the affine vertex operator algebra of type $D_{20}^{(1)}$ for $c=8$, and the Barnes--Wall lattice $Λ_{16}$, the affine vertex operator algebras of type $D_{16}^{(1)}$ with level 1 and type $D_{28}^{(1)}$ with level 1 for $c=16$. (The central charge of the affine vertex operator algebra of type $D_{28}^{(1)}$ with level 1 is 28, but the space of characters satisfies the differential equations for $c=16$.) Supposing a mild condition on characters of $V$, then it uniquely determines (up to isomorphism) the spaces of characters of the lattice $\sqrt{2}E_8$ and the Barnes--Wall lattice $Λ_{16}$, respectively. The reason why vertex operator algebras with central charges 8 and 16 are intensively studied is that there are solutions which do not depend on extra parameters (which represent conformal weights). This fact is well understood using the hypergeometric function $3F2$. Hence we cannot apply our standard method to classify vertex operator algebras in which we are interested. In appendix we classify $c=4$ vertex operator algebras with the same conditions mentioned above.

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arXiv2018

Most vertex superalgebras associated to an odd unimodular lattice of rank 24 have an N=4 superconformal structure

Odd, positive-definite, integral, unimodular lattices N of rank 24 were classified by Borcherds. There are 273 isometry classes of such lattices. Associated to them are vertex superalgebras $V_N$ of central charge c=24. We show that at least 267 of these vertex operator superalgebras contain an N=4 superconformal subalgebra of central charge $c'=6$. This is achieved by studying embeddings $L+\subseteq N$ of a certain rank 6 lattice L+.

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arXiv2018

Vertex Operator Algebras with Two Simple Modules - the Mathur-Mukhi-Sen Theorem Revisited

Let $V$ be a strongly regular vertex operator algebra and let $\frak{ch}_V$ be the space spanned by the characters of the irreducible $V$-modules.\ It is known that $\frak{ch}_V$ is the space of solutions of a so-called \emph{modular linear differential equation (MLDE)}.\ In this paper we obtain a near-classification of those $V$ for which the corresponding MLDE is irreducible and monic of order $2$.\ As a consequence we derive the complete classification when $V$ has exactly two simple modules.\ It turns out that $V$ is either one of four affine Kac-Moody algebras of level $1$, or the Yang-Lee Virasoro model of central charge ${-}22/5$.\ Our proof establishes new connections between the characters of $V$ and Gauss hypergeometric series, and puts the finishing touches to work of Mathur, Mukhi and Sen who first considered this problem forty years ago.

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arXiv2017

On unbounded denominators and hypergeometric series

We study the question of when the coefficients of a hypergeometric series are p-adically unbounded for a given rational prime p. Our first main result is a necessary and sufficient criterion (applicable to all but finitely many primes) for determining when the coefficients of a hypergeometric series with rational parameters are p-adically unbounded. This criterion is then used to show that the set of unbounded primes for a given series is, up to a finite discrepancy, a finite union of primes in arithmetic progressions. This set can be computed explicitly. We characterize when the density of the set of unbounded primes is 0, and when it is 1. Finally, we discuss the connection between this work and the unbounded denominators conjecture concerning Fourier coefficients of modular forms.

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arXiv2017

Vertex rings and their Pierce bundles

In part I we introduce vertex rings, which bear the same relation to vertex algebras (or VOAs) as commutative, associative rings do to commutative, associative algebras over the complex numbers. We show that vertex rings are characterized by Goddard axioms. These include a generalization of the translation-covariance axiom of VOA theory that involves a canonical Hasse-Schmidt derivation naturally associated to any vertex ring. We give several illustrative applications of these axioms, including the construction of vertex rings associated with the Virasoro algebra. We consider some categories of vertex rings, and the role played by the center of a vertex ring. In part II we extend the theory of Pierce bundles associated to a commutative ring to the setting of vertex rings. This amounts to the construction of certain reduced etale bundles of vertex rings functorially associated to a vertex ring. We introduce von Neumann regular vertex rings as a generalization of von Neumann regular commutative rings; we obtain a characterization of this class of vertex rings as those whose Pierce bundles are bundles of simple vertex rings.

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arXiv2017

A brief history of the positivity conjecture in tensor category theory

We show the existence of a finite group $G$ having an irreducible character $χ$ with Frobenius-Schur indicator $ν_2(χ){=}{+}1$ such that $χ^2$ has an irreducible constituent $φ$ with $ν_2(φ){=}{-}1$. This provides counterexamples to the positivity conjecture in rational CFT and a conjecture of Zhenghan Wang about pivotal fusion categories.

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arXiv2017

Generalized Twisted Quantum Doubles of a Finite Group and Rational Orbifolds

In previous work the authors introduced a new class of modular quasi-Hopf algebras $D^ω(G, A)$ associated to a finite group $G$, a central subgroup $A$, and a $3$-cocycle $ω\in Z^3(G, C^x)$. In the present paper we propose a description of the class of orbifold models of rational vertex operator algebras whose module category is tensor equivalent to $D^ω(G, A)$-mod. The paper includes background on quasi-Hopf algebras and a discussion of some relevant orbifolds.

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