Duality via convolution of W-algebras

Abstract

Feigin-Frenkel duality is the isomorphism between the principal $\mathcal{W}$-algebras of a simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ and its Langlands dual Lie algebra ${}^L\mathfrak{g}$. A generalization of this duality to a larger family of $\mathcal{W}$-algebras called hook-type was recently conjectured by Gaiotto and Rapčák and proved by the first two authors. It says that the affine cosets of two different hook-type $\mathcal{W}$-algebras are isomorphic. A natural question is whether the duality between affine cosets can be enhanced to a duality between the full $\mathcal{W}$-algebras. There is a convolution operation that maps a hook-type $\mathcal{W}$-algebra $\mathcal{W}$ to a certain relative semi-infinite cohomology of $\mathcal{W}$ tensored with a suitable kernel VOA. The first two authors conjectured previously that this cohomology is isomorphic to the Feigin-Frenkel dual hook-type $\mathcal{W}$-algebra. Our main result is a proof of this conjecture.

Revised, 24 pages