Some modular functions associated to the Lie algebra \(E_ 8\) (Q1202421)

Let \(\Lambda\) be the lattice (in \(\mathbb{R}^ 8\)) and \(W\) the Weyl group for the Lie algebra \(E_ 8\). For \(\sigma\) in \(W\), let \(\Lambda_ \sigma\) be the sublattice of vectors in \(\Lambda\) which are invariant under \(\sigma\). Let \(\theta_ \sigma\) be the theta series associated to \(\Lambda_ \sigma\), and consider \(\eta_ \sigma(z)=\prod_ t \eta(tz)^{r_ t}\) where \(\eta\) is the Dedekind eta-function and \(\prod_ t t^{r_ t}\) is the Frame shape of \(\sigma\) [\textit{J. S. Frame}, Computational problems in abstract algebra, Proc. Conf. Oxford 1967, 111-130 (1970; Zbl 0198.349)]. Then \(\theta_ \sigma\) and \(\eta_ \sigma\) are modular forms of like weight \({1\over 2}\text{rank}(\Lambda_ \sigma)= {1\over 2}\sum_ t r_ t\) with respect to some congruence subgroup of \(\text{SL}_ 2(\mathbb{Z})\). The authors investigate \(f_ \sigma(z)= \theta_ \sigma(3z)/\eta_ \sigma(3z)\). This is a modular function, only depending upon the conjugacy class of \(\sigma\). In each case the authors give upper and lower bounds for the invariant subgroup \(\Gamma_ \sigma\) of \(f_ \sigma\) in \(\text{PSL}_ 2(\mathbb{R})\), and they give a complete determination of all those conjugacy classes for which \(f_ \sigma\) is a Hauptmodul. This means that \(\Gamma_ \sigma\) has genus 0 and that \(f_ \sigma\) generates the field of modular functions for \(\Gamma_ \sigma\). The analogous question for the Leech lattice has been studied by several authors in connection with the Conway-Norton ``Moonshine'' conjectures [\textit{J. H. Conway} and \textit{S. P. Norton}, Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 11, 308-339 (1979; Zbl 0424.20010)], among of them \textit{M. Koike} [Nagoya Math. J. 112, 63-79 (1988; Zbl 0663.10026)].