A new existence proof of the Monster by VOA theory (Q715709)

The existence of the Monster was first established by \textit{R. L. Griess} jun. [Invent. Math. 69, 1--102 (1982; Zbl 0498.20013)]. The authors give a new and compact existence proof. A vertex operator algebra approach to the Monster was initiated by [\textit{I. Frenkel, J. Lepowsky} and \textit{A. Meurman}, Vertex Operator Algebras and the Monster. Boston etc.: Academic Press, Inc. (1988; Zbl 0674.17001)]. In the book the notion of vertex operator algebras was introduced and a vertex operator algebra \(V^\natural\) whose full automorphism group is the Monster was constructed. Another construction of \(V^\natural\) was obtained by \textit{M. Miyamoto} [Ann. Math. (2) 159, No. 2, 535--596 (2004; Zbl 1133.17017)] as a simple current extension of \((V_{\sqrt{2}E_8}^+)^{\otimes 3}\). In [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 83, No. 2, 493--516 (2011; Zbl 1247.17020)], \textit{H. Shimakura} studied a more direct version of Miyamoto's construction by using a quadratic space. Let \(U = V_{\sqrt{2}E_8}^+\) and \(V\) the simple current extension of \(U^{\otimes 3}\) discussed by Shimakura. Although \(V\) is isomorphic to \(V^\natural\), in the paper under review the authors begin the argument with the following properties of \(V\): (1) \(V\) is a holomorphic framed vertex operator algebra of CFT-type with central charge \(24\) whose weight \(1\) subspace is trivial, (2) The automorphism group \(G\) of \(V\) acts transitively on the set of subalgebras isomorphic to \(U^{\otimes 3}\) and the stabilizer \(\mathrm{Stab}_G(U^{\otimes 3})\) of \(U^{\otimes 3}\) is isomorphic to \(2^{15}\cdot(2^{20}:(L_5(2) \times \mathrm{Sym}_3))\). The authors take an involution \(z\) of \(G\) and show that the fixed point subalgebra \(V^+\) of \(z\) is isomorphic to \(V_\Lambda^+\), where \(\Lambda\) is the Leech lattice. Moreover, it is shown that the centralizer \(C_G(z)\) of \(z\) in \(G\) is isomorphic to \(2^{1+24} \cdot \mathrm{Co}_1\). The group \(G\) is generated by \(\mathrm{Stab}_G(U^{\otimes 3})\) and \(C_G(z)\), and in fact it is isomorphic to the Monster by \textit{R. L. Griess, jun., U. Meierfrankenfeld} and \textit{Y. Segev} [Ann. Math. (2) 130, No. 3, 567--602 (1989; Zbl 0691.20014)].