Zero modes of local operators in 2d CFT on a cylinder

Studies of Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (ETH) in two-dimensional CFTs call for calculation of the expectation values of local operators in highly excited energy eigenstates. This can be done efficiently by representing zero modes of these operators in terms of the Virasoro algebra generators. In this paper we present a pedagogical introduction explaining how this calculation can be performed analytically or using computer algebra. We illustrate the computation of zero modes by a number of examples and list explicit expressions for all local operators from the vacuum family with the dimension of less or equal than eight. Finally, we derive an explicit expression for the quantum KdV generator Q₇ in terms of the Virasoro algebra generators. The obtained results can be used for quantitative studies of ETH at finite value of central charge.