A new existence proof of the Monster by VOA theory

DOI10.1307/MMJ/1347040259MaRDI QIDQ715709zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Robert L. jun. Griess, Ching Hung Lam

Publication date 31 October 2012

Published in Michigan Mathematical Journal (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1103.1414, https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.mmj/1347040259

zbMATH Keywords

Monster simple group vertex operator algebra

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Vertex operators; vertex operator algebras and related structures (17B69) Simple groups: sporadic groups (20D08)

Abstract: We use uniqueness of a VOA (vertex operator algebra) extension of

(V_{E E_{8}}^{+})^{3}

to a Moonshine type VOA to give a new existence proof of a finite simple group of Monster type. The proof is relatively direct. Our methods depend on VOA representation theory and are free of many special calculations which traditionally occur in theory of the Monster.

Review text

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)].

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