Irreducible modules over the Virasoro algebra

Abstract

In this paper, we construct two different classes of Virasoro modules from twisting Harish-Chandra modules over the twisted Heisenberg-Virasoro algebra by an automorphism of the twisted Heisenberg-Virasoro algebra. Weight modules in the first class are some irreducible highest weight modules over the twisted Heisenberg-Virasoro algebra. The non-weight modules in the first class are irreducible Whittaker modules over the Virasoro algebra. We obtain concrete bases for all irreducible Whittaker modules (instead of a quotient of modules). This generalizes known results on Whittaker modules. The second class of modules are non-weight modules which are not Whittaker modules. We determine the irreducibility and isomorphism classes of these modules.