Abstract. In this paper we extend categorically the notion of a finite nilpotent group to fusion categories. To this end, we first analyze the trivial component of the universal grading of a fusion category C, and then introduce the upper central series ofC. For fusion categories with commutative Grothendieck rings (e.g., braided fusion categories) we also introduce the lower central series. We study arithmetic and structural properties of nilpotent fusion categories, and apply our theory to modular categories and to semisimple Hopf algebras. In particular, we show that in the modular case the two central series are centralizers of each other in the sense of M. Müger. Dedicated to Leonid Vainerman on the occasion of his 60-th birthday 1. introduction The theory of fusion categories arises in many areas of mathematics such as representation theory, quantum groups, operator algebras and topology. The representation categories of semisimple (quasi-) Hopf algebras are important examples of fusion categories. Fusion categories have been studied extensively in the literature,

inherits various structures from C, provided that A is a Frobenius algebra with certain additional properties. As a by-product we obtain results about the Frobenius-Schur indicator in sovereign tensor categories. A braiding on C is not needed, nor is semisimplicity. We apply our results to the description of boundary conditions in twodimensional conformal field theory and present illustrative examples. We show that when the module category is tensor, then it gives rise to a NIM-rep of the fusion rules, and discuss a possible relation with the representation theory of vertex operator algebras. 1 CFT boundary conditions Boundary conditions in conformal field theory have various physical applications, ranging from the study of defects in condensed matter physics to the theory of open strings. Such boundary conditions are partially characterized by the maximal vertex operator subalgebra A of the bulk chiral algebra Abulk that they respect [43, 75]. That A is respected by a boundary condition means that the

We consider certain categorical structures that are implicit in subfactor theory. Making the connection between subfactor theory (at finite index) and category theory explicit sheds light on both subjects. Furthermore, it allows various generalizations of these structures, e.g. to arbitrary ground fields, and the proof of new results about topological invariants in three dimensions. The central notion is that of a Frobenius algebra in a tensor category A, which reduces to the classical notion if A = F-Vect, where F is a field. An object X ∈ A with two-sided dual X gives rise to a Frobenius algebra in A, and under weak additional conditions we prove a converse: There exists a bicategory E with ObjE = {A, B} such that EndE(A) ⊗ ≃ A and such that there are J, J: B ⇋ A producing the given Frobenius algebra. Many properties (additivity, sphericity, semisimplicity,...) of A carry over to the bicategory E. We define weak monoidal Morita equivalence of tensor categories, denoted A ≈ B, and establish a correspondence between Frobenius algebras in A and tensor categories B ≈ A. While considerably weaker than equivalence of tensor categories, weak monoidal Morita equivalence A ≈ B has remarkable consequences: A and B have equivalent (as braided tensor categories) quantum doubles (‘centers’) and (if A, B are semisimple spherical or ∗-categories) have equal dimensions and give rise the same state sum invariant of closed oriented 3-manifolds as recently defined by Barrett and Westbury. An instructive example is provided by finite dimensional semisimple and cosemisimple Hopf algebras, for which we prove H − mod ≈ ˆH − mod. The present formalism permits a fairly complete analysis of the center of a semisimple spherical category, which is the subject of the companion paper math.CT/0111205. 1

We compute the fundamental correlation functions in two-dimensional rational conformal field theory, from which all other correlators can be obtained by sewing: the correlators of three bulk fields on the sphere, one bulk and one boundary field on the disk, three boundary fields on the disk, and one bulk field on the cross cap. We also consider conformal defects and calculate the correlators of three defect fields on the sphere and of one defect field on the cross cap. Each of these correlators is presented as the product of a structure constant and the appropriate conformal two- or three-point block. The structure constants are expressed as invariants of ribbon graphs in three-manifolds.

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These are lecture notes for the course 18.769 “Tensor categories”, taught by P. Etingof at MIT in the spring of 2009. In these notes we will assume that the reader is familiar with the basic theory of categories and functors; a detailed discussion of this theory can be found in the book [ML]. We will also assume the basics of the theory of abelian categories (for a more detailed treatment see the book [F]). If C is a category, the notation X ∈ C will mean that X is an object of C, and the set of morphisms between X, Y ∈ C will be denoted by Hom(X, Y). Throughout the notes, for simplicity we will assume that the ground field k is algebraically closed unless otherwise specified, even though in many cases this assumption will not be needed. 1. Monoidal categories 1.1. The definition of a monoidal category. A good way of thinking

We use simple currents to construct symmetric special Frobenius algebras in modular tensor categories. We classify such simple current type algebras with the help of abelian group cohomology. We show that they lead to the modular invariant torus partition functions that have been studied by Kreuzer and Schellekens. We also classify boundary conditions in the associated conformal field theories and show that the boundary states are given by the formula proposed in hep-th/0007174. Finally, we investigate conformal defects in these

Abstract. We study the group of group-like elements of a weak Hopf algebra and derive an analogue of Radford’s formula for the fourth power of the antipode S, which implies that the antipode has a finite order modulo a trivial automorphism. We find a sufficient condition in terms of Tr(S 2) for a weak Hopf algebra to be semisimple, discuss relation between semisimplicity and cosemisimplicity, and apply our results to show that a dynamical twisting deformation of a semisimple Hopf algebra is cosemisimple. 1.

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Abstract. This note is devoted to Lusztig’s bijection between unipotent conjugacy classes in a simple complex algebraic group and 2-sided cells in the affine Weyl group of the Langlands dual group; and also to the description of the reductive quotient of the centralizer of the unipotent element in terms of convolution of perverse sheaves on affine flag variety of the dual group conjectured by Lusztig in [L4]. Our main tool is a recent construction by Beilinson, Gaitsgory and Kottwitz, the so-called sheaf-theoretic construction of the center of an affine Hecke algebra (see [Ga]). We show how this remarkable construction provides a geometric interpretation of the bijection, and allows to prove the conjecture. Acknowledgement. I am much indebted to Michael Finkelberg; among the many things he taught me are the theory of cells in Weyl groups and Lusztig’s conjecture (partially proved below). This note owes a lot to Dennis Gaitsgory, who explained to me the “sheaf-theoretic center ” construction, and made some helpful suggestions. I also thank Alexander Beilinson and Vladimir Drinfeld for useful comments, and Viktor Ostrik for stimulating interest. The results of this note were obtained (in a preliminary form) during the author’s participation in the special year on Geometric Methods in Representation Theory (98/99) at IAS; I thank IAS for its hospitality, and NSF grant for financial support.