Vertex Operator Superalgebras and Odd Trace Functions

Abstract

We begin by reviewing Zhu's theorem on modular invariance of trace functions associated to a vertex operator algebra, as well as a generalisation by the author to vertex operator superalgebras. This generalisation involves objects that we call `odd trace functions'. We examine the case of the N=1 superconformal algebra. In particular we compute an odd trace function in two different ways, and thereby obtain a new representation theoretic interpretation of a well known classical identity due to Jacobi concerning the Dedekind eta function.