Realizations of the monster Lie algebra (Q1805385)

The authors provide an explicit construction of the monster Lie algebra \({\mathfrak m}\) introduced by \textit{R. Borcherds} [Invent. Math. 109, 405-444 (1992; Zbl 0799.17014)] as an algebra of operators on a tensor algebra associated with the monster simple group. Their approach is to apply a result of the first author [J. Pure Appl. Algebra (to appear))] that certain generalized Kac-Moody algebras contain specific large free subalgebras. This permits them to simplify Borcherds' work (loc. cit.) establishing the Conway-Norton conjectures for the moonshine module \(V^\#\) for the monster group \(M\) [\textit{J.H. Conway} and \textit{S. P. Norton}, Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 11, 308--339 (1979; Zbl 0424.20010)]. A key step in the simplification is use of the decomposition \({\mathfrak m}= {\mathfrak u}^+ +{\mathfrak {gl}}_2+ {\mathfrak u}^-\), where the Lie algebras \({\mathfrak u}^+\) and \({\mathfrak u}^-\) are free algebras from the first author's above- cited paper. An additional useful step is their use of the \({\mathfrak {gl}}_2\)-module \({\mathfrak u}^-\) in place of \({\mathfrak n}^-\). Their work with generalized Kac-Moody algebras follows the approach of \textit{H. Garland} and the second author [e.g., Invent. Math. 34, 37--76 (1976; Zbl 0358.17015)] based on extended (by adjoining certain degree derivations) Lie algebras, whose enlarged Cartan subalgebras determine linearly independent roots of multiplicity one. Per the first author's earlier paper, any generalized Kac-Moody algebra \({\mathfrak g}\) without mutually orthogonal imaginary simple roots decomposes as \({\mathfrak g}= {\mathfrak u}^++ ({\mathfrak g}_S+ {\mathfrak h})+ {\mathfrak u}^-\) for \({\mathfrak g}_S\) a semisimple or Kac-Moody Lie algebra and \( {\mathfrak u}^+\) and \({\mathfrak u}^-\) free Lie algebras over particular modules for \({\mathfrak g}_S\). Further, there are Lie algebras that cover \({\mathfrak m}\) and to which the natural action of \(M\) on \({\mathfrak m}\) lifts. Another important fact is that the maximal Lie algebra \({\mathfrak a}_{\max}\) corresponding to a local Lie algebra \({\mathfrak a}= {\mathfrak a}_{-1}+ {\mathfrak a}_0+ {\mathfrak a}_1\) is such that \({\mathfrak a}^\pm_{\max}\) is the free Lie algebra on \({\mathfrak a}_{\pm 1}\) [as in \textit{V. Kac}, Math. USSR, Izv. 2, 1271--1311 (1970); translation from Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Mat. 32, 1323--1367 (1968; Zbl 0222.17007)]. Some induced standard modules from irreducible modules of the subalgebra \(({\mathfrak g}_S+ {\mathfrak h})+ {\mathfrak u}^+\) complete the foundation for a realization of \({\mathfrak m}\) as an explicit \(M\)-covariant Lie algebra of operators on the tensor space on \({\mathcal V}\), which is one of the two infinite-dimensional \({\mathfrak {gl}}_2\)- and \(M\)-modules \({\mathfrak a}_{\pm 1}\) that arise in the local Lie algebra construction with \({\mathfrak a}_0= {\mathfrak {gl}}_{2^-}\).