Similar sublattices of the root lattice \(A_4\) (Q948715)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a lattice in \({\mathbb R}^d\) of full rank \(d\). A similar sublattice (SSL) \(\Gamma'\) of \(\Gamma\) is a sublattice for which there exist some \(c>0\) and some \(S\in \text{GL}_d({\mathbb R})\) with \(S\Gamma =\Gamma'\subset\Gamma\) and \(\langle Su|Sv\rangle=c\langle u|v\rangle\) for all \(u,v\in {\mathbb R}^d\). In this case, \([\Gamma :\Gamma']=c^{d/2}\). Two natural questions arise: for which such values \(c>0\) do there there exist SSLs of \(\Gamma\), and how many SSLs of a given index exist? In the present paper, the authors answer these questions in the case of the root lattice \(A_4\). It was shown earlier by \textit{J. H. Conway, E. M. Rains} and \textit{N. J. A. Sloane} [Can. J. Math. 51, No. 6, 1300--1306 (1999; Zbl 0963.52006)] that SSLs of \(A_4\) for a given index exist if and only if this index is the square of a nonzero integer of the form \(m^2+mn-n^2\). The approach in the present paper is of a constructive nature and also yields the number of SSLs of a given index. The idea is to realize a lattice \(L\) of type \(A_4\) as a certain subset in the so-called Icosian ring \({\mathbb I}\) which in turn is a maximal order (of class number \(1\)) in the quaternion algebra \({\mathbb H}(K)=(-1,-1)_K\) for \(K={\mathbb Q}(\sqrt{5})\). The authors then define an involution of the second kind \(x\mapsto\widetilde{x}\) on \({\mathbb H}(K)\) and show that there exists a bijective correspondence between primitive right ideals of \({\mathbb I}\) and primitive SSLs of \(L\) (with suitable definitions of primitivity) given by \(p{\mathbb I}\mapsto pL\widetilde{p}\) which in addition satisfies the index relation \([{\mathbb I}:p{\mathbb I}]=[L:pL\widetilde{p}]\). This relation also implies the characterization of all realizable indices for SSLs. To get the explicit number of SSLs of a given index, the authors use a relation between the Dirichlet series generating function for the number of SSLs and the zeta function of the Icosian ring.