On the Uniqueness of Diffeomorphism Symmetry in Conformal Field Theory

A Möbius covariant net of von Neumann algebras on S¹ is diffeomorphism covariant if its Möbius symmetry extends to diffeomorphism symmetry. We prove that in case the net is either a Virasoro net or any at least 4-regular net such an extension is unique: the local algebras together with the Möbius symmetry (equivalently: the local algebras together with the vacuum vector) completely determine it. We draw the two following conclusions for such theories. (1) The value of the central charge c is an invariant and hence the Virasoro nets for different values of c are not isomorphic as Möbius covariant nets. (2) A vacuum preserving internal symmetry always commutes with the diffeomorphism symmetries. We further use our result to give a large class of new examples of nets (even strongly additive ones), which are not diffeomorphism covariant; i.e. which do not admit an extension of the symmetry to Diff⁺(S¹).Supported in part by the Italian MIUR and GNAMPA-INDAM.