Grothendieck-Verdier duality in categories of bimodules and weak module functors

Studies Grothendieck–Verdier duality, a generalisation of rigidity arising in vertex operator algebra representation theory, which comes with two tensor products linked by distributor maps. Treating internal Homs and coHoms as weak module functors, it finds conditions under which the distributors are isomorphisms, with explicit formulae for bimodules over finite-dimensional algebras.

Abstract

Various monoidal categories, including suitable representation categories of vertex operator algebras, admit natural Grothendieck-Verdier duality structures. We recall that such a Grothendieck-Verdier category comes with two tensor products which should be related by distributors obeying pentagon identities. We discuss in which circumstances these distributors are isomorphisms. This is achieved by taking the perspective of module categories over monoidal categories, using in particular the natural weak module functor structure of internal Homs and internal coHoms. As an illustration, we exhibit these concepts concretely in the case of categories of bimodules over associative algebras.

Recommended citation: J. Fuchs, G. Schaumann, C. Schweigert and S. Wood, Contemp. Math. 813, 211-234 (2025)
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