Linear automorphisms of vertex operator algebras associated with formal changes of variable and Bernoulli-type numbers

Abstract

We study a certain linear automorphism of a vertex operator algebra induced by the formal change of variable $f(x)=e^x-1$ and describe examples showing how this relates the theory of vertex operator algebras to Bernoulli numbers, Bernoulli polynomial values, and related numbers. We give a recursion for such numbers derived using vertex operator relations, and study the Jacobi identity for modified vertex operators that was introduced in work of Lepowsky.