Modular Intersections of von Neumann Algebras in Quantum Field Theory

We show that modular intersections of von Neumann algebras occur naturally in quantum field theory. An example are local observable algebras associated with wedge regions, which have a lightray in common, see also [Bo 2, Wi 3]. Conversely, starting from a set of four algebras lying in a specified modular position relative to each other we construct a net of local observables of a 2+1 dimensional quantum field theory. Received: 26 February 1996/ Accepted: 30 August 1997