Faithful Localization of Vertex Algebra Modules

Abstract

We establish a Faithfulness Theorem for vertex algebra modules, showing that two complementary geometric localizations can jointly detect global algebraic structure. We apply this principle to vertex algebras obtained by BRST reduction from classical invariant theory and identify them, under natural geometric hypotheses, with global sections of sheaves of chiral differential operators. As consequences, we prove vanishing of BRST cohomology in nonzero degrees and simplicity, and show that every finitely strongly generated module is a finite direct sum of copies of the vacuum module. In particular, the corresponding module category is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional vector spaces. For families associated with classical groups, we identify the associated varieties with Hamiltonian reductions, proving quasi-lisse-ness and the predicted identification with Higgs branches of the corresponding supersymmetric gauge theories. This provides geometric realizations of a broad class of vertex algebras arising from three- and four-dimensional quantum field theories.