Notes on the Verlinde formula in non-rational conformal field theories
Résumé
We review and extend evidence for the validity of a generalized Verlinde formula in particular non-rational conformal field theories. We identify a subset of representations of the chiral algebra in non-rational conformal field theories that give rise to an analogue of the relation between modular S-matrices and fusion coefficients in rational conformal field theories. To that end we review and extend the Cardy-type brane calculations in bosonic and supersymmetric Liouville theory (and its duals) as well as in the hyperbolic three-plane H_3^+. We analyze the three-point functions of Liouville theory and of H_3^+ in detail to directly identify the fusion coefficients from the operator product expansion.