Congruences for certain theta series (Q1271161)

The starting point of the paper is a basic criterion known for congruences of modular forms: a modular form \(f\) of integral weight \(k\) and trivial character can be congruent to 1 modulo a power of the prime \(p\) only under some \(p\)-divisibility condition on \(k\). The authors now investigate whether the theta series of certain types of even lattices in \(2k\)-dimensional euclidean space actually satisfy the congruences admitted by that criterion. Positive results are obtained for various families of lattices, in particular for the Barnes-Wall and the Fermat curve family of Mordell-Weil lattices, generalizations coming from higher-dimensional varieties, symplectic and unitary group lattices; also the Thompson-Smith lattice in dimension 248 satisfies the congruences to be expected. It is always the presence of a large group of automorphisms and the study of orbits, using character formulas, which allows the authors to prove their result.