W{1+ \infty} algebra, W_3 algebra, and Friedan-Martinec-Shenker bosonization

Abstract

We show that the vertex algebra W{1+ \infty} with central charge -1 is isomorphic to a tensor product of the simple W_3 algebra with central charge -2 and a Heisenberg vertex algebra generated by a free bosonic field. We construct a family of irreducible modules of the W_3 algebra with central charge -2 in terms of free fields and calculate the full character formulas of these modules with respect to the full Cartan subalgebra of the W_3 algebra.