A \(p\)-adic approach to the Weil representation of discriminant forms arising from even lattices (Q495823)

For an even lattice \(M\) the \(D(M)\) denote its discriminant group \(M^*/M\). This is a finite quadratic group, the orthogonal sum of its Sylow \(p\)-subgroups \(D(M) = \bigoplus_p D(M)_p\) and only depends on the genus of \(M\). The metaplectic group Mp\(_2(\mathbb{Z})\) admits a representation \(\rho_M = \bigotimes_{p} \rho_{M_p}\) on the finite dimensional complex vector space \[ \mathbb{C}^{D(M)} = \bigotimes_{p} \mathbb{C}^{D(M)_p} \] called the Weil representation. The author studies Gauss sums on \(p\)-adic lattices to obtain formulas for the local operators \(\rho_{M_p}\) that are finally combined to arrive at an explicit formula (Theorem 7.1) for the action of every element of the metaplectic group on the basis elements of \(\mathbb{C}^{D(M)}\). Theorem 8.1 comments on how to adapt the formulas to obtain an action of a subgroup of the metaplectic group on the discriminant group of an odd lattice.