Tensor product weight modules over the Virasoro algebra

The tensor product of highest weight modules with intermediate series modules over the Virasoro algebra was discussed by Zhang [A class of representations over the Virasoro algebra, J. Algebra 190 (1997) 1–10]. Since then the irreducibility problem for the tensor products has been open. In this paper, we determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for these tensor products to be simple. From non-simple tensor products, we can get other interesting simple Virasoro modules. We also obtain that any two such tensor products are isomorphic if and only if the corresponding highest weight modules and intermediate series modules are isomorphic, respectively. Our method is to develop a ‘shifting technique’ and to widely use Feigin–Fuchs' theorem on singular vectors of Verma modules over the Virasoro algebra.