\(EE_8\)-lattices and dihedral groups (Q635867)

For a subset \(X\) of Euclidean space, let \(t_X\) be an orthogonal transformation defined by \(-1\) on \(X\) and \(1\) on the orthogonal complement of \(X\). In the paper under review the authors classify the integral lattices \(L\) in Euclidean space which satisfy the following conditions: (1) \(L = M+N\), where \(M\) and \(N\) are sublattices isomorphic to \(\sqrt{2}\) times the \(E_8\)-lattice, (2) \(L\) has no roots, that is, \(L\) has no elements of square norm \(2\), (3) \(t_M\) and \(t_N\) generate a dihedral group of order at most \(12\). It is shown that there are exactly \(11\) isomorphism classes of such lattices \(L\). All but one of those lattices are contained in the Leech lattice. The proof consists of case by case arguments depending on the order of the dihedral group generated by \(t_M\) and \(t_N\). The main idea is determination of \(M \cap N\), \(ann_L(M \cap N)\), \(ann_L(M)\) and \(ann_L(N)\) for each case. The motivation of the work is the fact that the vertex operator algebra associated with \(\sqrt{2}\) times \(E_8\)-lattice contains two kinds of conformal vectors of central charge \(1/2\). It is expected that the classification of the lattices \(L\) can be useful for further study of the vertex operator algebra associated with \(L\).