Modular Functions and the Monstrous Exponents
We present a modular function-based approach to explaining, for primes larger than 3, the exponents that appear in the prime decomposition of the order of the monster finite simple group.
math.GR↗
arXiv subjects
John F. R. Duncan
Publications and source records attributed to John F. R. Duncan.
Rational K3 Homotopy and the Largest Mathieu Group
We interpret the ranks of the rational homotopy groups of a K3 surface as dimensions of representations for the largest sporadic simple Mathieu group. We then construct a vertex algebra equipped with an action by the largest Mathieu group, and use it to associate Jacobi forms to this interpretation, in a compatible way. Our results suggest a topological role for the sporadic simple Mathieu groups in the theory of K3 surfaces.
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Two New Avatars of Moonshine for the Thompson Group
The Thompson sporadic group admits special relationships to modular forms of two kinds. On the one hand, last century's generalized moonshine for the monster equipped the Thompson group with a module for which the associated McKay-Thompson series are distinguished weight zero modular functions. On the other hand, Griffin and Mertens verified the existence of a module for which the McKay-Thompson series are distinguished modular forms of weight one-half, that were assigned to the Thompson group in this century by the last two authors of this work. In this paper we round out this picture by proving the existence of two new avatars of Thompson moonshine: a new module giving rise to weight zero modular functions, and a new module giving rise to forms of weight one-half. We explain how the newer modules are related to the older ones by Borcherds products and traces of singular moduli. In so doing we clarify the relationship between the previously known modules, and expose a new arithmetic aspect to moonshine for the Thompson group. We also present evidence that this phenomenon extends to a correspondence between other cases of generalized monstrous moonshine and penumbral moonshine, and thereby enriches these phenomena with counterparts in weight one-half and weight zero, respectively.
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Class Numbers, Congruent Numbers and Umbral Moonshine
In earlier work we initiated a program to study relationships between finite groups and arithmetic geometric invariants of modular curves in a systematic way. In the present work we continue this program, with a focus on the two smallest sporadic simple Mathieu groups. To do this we first elucidate a connection between a special case of umbral moonshine and the imaginary quadratic class numbers. Then we use this connection to classify a distinguished set of modules for the smallest sporadic Mathieu group. Finally we establish consequences of the classification for the congruent number problem of antiquity.
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Class Numbers, Cyclic Simple Groups and Arithmetic
Here we initiate a program to study relationships between finite groups and arithmetic-geometric invariants in a systematic way. To do this we first introduce a notion of optimal module for a finite group in the setting of holomorphic mock Jacobi forms. Then we classify optimal modules for the cyclic groups of prime order, in the special case of weight two and index one, where class numbers of imaginary quadratic fields play an important role. Finally we exhibit a connection between the classification we establish and the arithmetic geometry of imaginary quadratic twists of modular curves of prime level.
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An Overview of Penumbral Moonshine
As Mathieu moonshine is a special case of umbral moonshine, Thompson moonshine (in half-integral weight) is a special case of a family of similar relationships between finite groups and vector-valued modular forms of a certain kind. We call this penumbral moonshine. We introduce and explain some features of this phenomenon in this work.
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Modular Products and Modules for Finite Groups
Motivated by the appearance of penumbral moonshine, and by evidence that penumbral moonshine enjoys an extensive relationship to generalized monstrous moonshine via infinite products, we establish a general construction in this work which uses singular theta lifts and a concrete construction at the level of modules for a finite group to translate between moonshine in weight one-half and moonshine in weight zero. This construction serves as a foundation for a companion paper in which we explore the connection between penumbral Thompson moonshine and a special case of generalized monstrous moonshine in detail.
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Modular Forms on the Double Half-Plane
We formulate a notion of modular form on the double half-plane for half-integral weights and explain its relationship to the usual notion of modular form. The construction we provide is compatible with certain physical considerations due to the second author.
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From the Monster to Thompson to O'Nan
The commencement of monstrous moonshine is a connection between the largest sporadic simple group---the monster---and complex elliptic curves. Here we explain how a closer look at this connection leads, via the Thompson group, to recently observed relationships between the non-monstrous sporadic simple group of O'Nan and certain families of elliptic curves defined over the rationals. We also describe umbral moonshine from this perspective.
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Super Vertex Algebras, Meromorphic Jacobi Forms and Umbral Moonshine
The vector-valued mock modular forms of umbral moonshine may be repackaged into meromorphic Jacobi forms of weight one. In this work we constructively solve two cases of the meromorphic module problem for umbral moonshine. Specifically, for the type A Niemeier root systems with Coxeter numbers seven and thirteen, we construct corresponding bigraded super vertex operator algebras, equip them with actions of the corresponding umbral groups, and verify that the resulting trace functions on canonically twisted modules recover the meromorphic Jacobi forms that are specified by umbral moonshine. We also obtain partial solutions to the meromorphic module problem for the type A Niemeier root systems with Coxeter numbers four and five, by constructing super vertex operator algebras that recover the meromorphic Jacobi forms attached to maximal subgroups of the corresponding umbral groups.
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O'Nan moonshine and arithmetic
Answering a question posed by Conway and Norton in their seminal 1979 paper on moonshine, we prove the existence of a graded infinite-dimensional module for the sporadic simple group of O'Nan, for which the McKay--Thompson series are weight $3/2$ modular forms. The coefficients of these series may be expressed in terms of class numbers, traces of singular moduli, and central critical values of quadratic twists of weight 2 modular $L$-functions. As a consequence, for primes $p$ dividing the order of the O'Nan group we obtain congruences between O'Nan group character values and class numbers, $p$-parts of Selmer groups, and Tate--Shafarevich groups of certain elliptic curves. This work represents the first example of moonshine involving arithmetic invariants of this type.
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Attractive Strings and Five-Branes, Skew-Holomorphic Jacobi Forms and Moonshine
We show that certain BPS counting functions for both fundamental strings and strings arising from fivebranes wrapping divisors in Calabi--Yau threefolds naturally give rise to skew-holomorphic Jacobi forms at rational and attractor points in the moduli space of string compactifications. For M5-branes wrapping divisors these are forms of weight negative one, and in the case of multiple M5-branes skew-holomorphic mock Jacobi forms arise. We further find that in simple examples these forms are related to skew-holomorphic (mock) Jacobi forms of weight two that play starring roles in moonshine. We discuss examples involving M5-branes on the complex projective plane, del Pezzo surfaces of degree one, and half-K3 surfaces. For del Pezzo surfaces of degree one and certain half-K3 surfaces we find a corresponding graded (virtual) module for the degree twelve Mathieu group. This suggests a more extensive relationship between Mathieu groups and complex surfaces, and a broader role for M5-branes in the theory of Jacobi forms and moonshine.
hep-th↗
Pariah moonshine
Finite simple groups are the building blocks of finite symmetry. The effort to classify them precipitated the discovery of new examples, including the monster, and six pariah groups which do not belong to any of the natural families, and are not involved in the monster. It also precipitated monstrous moonshine, which is an appearance of monster symmetry in number theory that catalysed developments in mathematics and physics. Forty years ago the pioneers of moonshine asked if there is anything similar for pariahs. Here we report on a solution to this problem that reveals the O'Nan pariah group as a source of hidden symmetry in quadratic forms and elliptic curves. Using this we prove congruences for class numbers, and Selmer groups and Tate--Shafarevich groups of elliptic curves. This demonstrates that pariah groups play a role in some of the deepest problems in mathematics, and represents an appearance of pariah groups in nature.
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Meromorphic Jacobi Forms of Half-Integral Index and Umbral Moonshine Modules
In this work we consider an association of meromorphic Jacobi forms of half-integral index to the pure D-type cases of umbral moonshine, and solve the module problem for four of these cases by constructing vertex operator superalgebras that realise the corresponding meromorphic Jacobi forms as graded traces. We also present a general discussion of meromorphic Jacobi forms with half-integral index and their relationship to mock modular forms.
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Self-Dual Vertex Operator Superalgebras and Superconformal Field Theory
Recent work has related the equivariant elliptic genera of sigma models with K3 surface target to a vertex operator superalgebra that realizes moonshine for Conway's group. Motivated by this we consider conditions under which a self-dual vertex operator superalgebra may be identified with the bulk Hilbert space of a superconformal field theory. After presenting a classification result for self-dual vertex operator superalgebras with central charge up to 12 we describe several examples of close relationships with bulk superconformal field theories, including those arising from sigma models for tori and K3 surfaces.
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Weight One Jacobi Forms and Umbral Moonshine
We analyze holomorphic Jacobi forms of weight one with level. One such form plays an important role in umbral moonshine, leading to simplifications of the statements of the umbral moonshine conjectures. We prove that non-zero holomorphic Jacobi forms of weight one do not exist for many combinations of index and level, and use this to establish a characterization of the McKay--Thompson series of umbral moonshine in terms of Rademacher sums.
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Optimal Mock Jacobi Theta Functions
We classify the optimal mock Jacobi forms of weight one with rational coefficients. The space they span is thirty-four-dimensional, and admits a distinguished basis parameterized by genus zero groups of isometries of the hyperbolic plane. We show that their Fourier coefficients can be expressed explicitly in terms of singular moduli, and obtain positivity conditions which distinguish the optimal mock Jacobi forms that appear in umbral moonshine. We find that all of Ramanujan's mock theta functions can be expressed simply in terms of the optimal mock Jacobi forms with rational coefficients.
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Derived Equivalences of K3 Surfaces and Twined Elliptic Genera
We use the unique canonically-twisted module over a certain distinguished super vertex operator algebra---the moonshine module for Conway's group---to attach a weak Jacobi form of weight zero and index one to any symplectic derived equivalence of a projective complex K3 surface that fixes a stability condition in the distinguished space identified by Bridgeland. According to work of Huybrechts, following Gaberdiel--Hohenegger--Volpato, any such derived equivalence determines a conjugacy class in Conway's group, the automorphism group of the Leech lattice. Conway's group acts naturally on the module we consider. In physics the data of a projective complex K3 surface together with a suitable stability condition determines a supersymmetric non-linear sigma model, and supersymmetry preserving automorphisms of such an object may be used to define twinings of the K3 elliptic genus. Our construction recovers the K3 sigma model twining genera precisely in all available examples. In particular, the identity symmetry recovers the usual K3 elliptic genus, and this signals a connection to Mathieu moonshine. A generalization of our construction recovers a number of the Jacobi forms arising in umbral moonshine. We demonstrate a concrete connection to supersymmetric non-linear K3 sigma models by establishing an isomorphism between the twisted module we consider and the vector space underlying a particular sigma model attached to a certain distinguished K3 surface.
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