A Quantum Deformation of the Virasoro Algebra and the Macdonald Symmetric Functions

Abstract

A quantum deformation of the Virasoro algebra is defined. The Kac determinants at arbitrary levels are conjectured. We construct a bosonic realization of the quantum deformed Virasoro algebra. Singular vectors are expressed by the Macdonald symmetric functions. This is proved by constructing screening currents acting on the bosonic Fock space.