236

A CYCLOTOMIC CONSTRUCTION FOR

LEECH'S LATTICE

MAURICE CRAIG

§1. Introduction. The 24 classes of even-valued, unimodular, positive quadratic

forms in 24 variables have been determined by Niemeier [6]. One class is distinguished
from the rest by the property that its forms have arithmetic minimum 4, rather than 2.
The 24-dimensional lattice A corresponding to this form-class can therefore be
identified with one found earlier by Leech [4], which has been studied extensively in
connection with sporadic simple groups (e.g. [1]).
We construct here a 24-variable unimodular form—with minimum 4—by imple-
menting a variant of the Minkowski embedding for number fields developed in [3].
Specifically, A is realized as the lattice representing an ideal divisor of 39 in the field
of 39th roots of unity. It will be seen that even unimodular forms are readily
located by this method. (Thus the 52nd and 72nd roots of unity likewise yield 24-
variable forms with determinant 1, both having minimum 2.) The general problem
of finding minima, however, seems to require special arguments.

§2. The unimodular form. Put 0 = exp (2ni/39) and K = Q(0). We have ideal
factorizations
(3) = C P i M i ^ P i O 2 . (13) = (CQC)12

where tyu ^B2> & are prime ideals with norms 3 3 , 3 3 , 13 respectively, and c denotes
complex conjugation (9C = 0" 1 ). Leta^ ..., a 24 be an integral basis for 91 = ^ 3 1 ^ ^
and suppose £ = Y,ziai> zi e Z. Then with G = Aut (K/Q), the expression
E |^| 2 = p(x), say,
G

is an even-valued, positive, integral quadratic form.

For, as the sum of squared norms, it is positive if £ # 0. Since G is abelian, we
have 2 l 8 ( 1 + c ) = X)£(1+e)g> where the right member is G-invariant. Hence p(z) is
rational, and also an integer of K. Finally, by combining for each h e G the terms
corresponding to g = h, g = ch in the above sum, we see that p(z) is even.
We complete the construction by showing that p(z) = 39q(z), where q(z) is
integral and unimodular (and, of course, even). In fact, t, e 91 implies that £ 1+c is
contained in 9I 1+C , which is G-invariant. It follows that £(1+c>« 6 9I 1+C for all g e G,
hence by summation ^(z) e Z n 5I 1+C = (39). The proof given for Lemma 1 of [3]
shows, however, that Det p(z) = |Discr. 9I|. We have
Discr. 91 = (Norm 5I)2Discr. K
= (36-13)2(312-1322) = 3924.
So q(z) is as required.
While showing the existence of the even unimodular formg(z), the argument above

[MATHEMATIKA 25 (1978), 236-241]

 A CYCLOTOMIC CONSTRUCTION FOR LEECH'S LATTICE 337

is not sufficiently explicit to yield much further information regarding it. Thus, for
determining the minimum of q(z), we shall approach the construction more carefully.
We first form the expression £|£*| 2 with £ an arbitrary integer, written in terms of a
particular integral basis for K to produce a quadratic form xTH\.
This will correspond [3] to a 24-dimensional lattice A o representing the full
integer ring of K. We shall then take successive account of the conditions £ e $ ^ 2
and £ e Q, so as to arrive gradually at the sublattice A C A o which represents 91 and
corresponds to the form q.
For handling the former condition above, it is convenient to decompose A o
relative to the 12-dimensional section of itself that represents the subfield Q(0 3 ). A
subsequent digression can be avoided by beginning with the necessary detailed study
of the 12-variable form r(y) corresponding to this section.

§3. The auxiliary form. Let e ; e Z 1 2 be the column vector with j-th entry <5y for
1 < i, j < 12. Each y = J^y^t is uniquely expressible in the form ± ^'Yfii with
0 < s < 6. Here £ ' denotes summation from 0 to 12, e 0 = - £>,-, and s = 2 ' ^i-
Next, let

LEMMA. The vectors realizing the first seven distinct successive minima of r(y) are
given by the following list, the suffixes within each expression being chosen without
repetition from 0, 1, 2, ..., 12:
r(s) = 1 2 , ± y = e;
22 e, + e,
26 e( - e,
30 es + e, + ek

38 e, + e, - e*
40 e, + e, + ek + e, + em.
Proof. Assume r(y) < 40. We have r(y) = 13/ — J 2 , where / = J^'Y2. Hence
13/ =? 40 + 36, or / < 5. Moreover, if s ^ 4 then / < 4, and if s < 3 then / < 3.
The list comprises all vectors compatible with these restraints.

§4. The reduction. Let x denote a primitive 13th root of unity. The three-term
periods
At = T + T3 + T9, V = T4 + T10 + T12,
^2 = T 7 + X8 + X11, A2C = X2 + X5 + X6,
are the roots of the cyclic quartic polynomial

in particular,
X^iXfXi' = 3. (1)
238 MAURICE CRAIG

Hence Q(/li) is the decompositon field for ^Jx (and its conjugate ideals). Now Q(T)
is the fixed field of b e G, where 9b = 0 14 . It follows that
Sey&2 implies {+? eM 2 n Q(T). (2)
c C
We shall identify ^S1; ^ 2 , <pt , $ 2 with the ideals which intersect Q(t) in the principal
ideals (Ax), (A2), ( V ) , (A2e) respectively.
We claim next that for S, e K,

(That is to say, the identity 2S, = (^ + £*) + ((* - £b) affords an " orthogonal"
decomposition of K relative to its subspace Q(T). Analogous results hold for the
other subfields.) In fact,

and writing t] = £ g , we have

2(ri1+c + »7(1+c)i>) = (i; + r,b)1+c + (r, - /? 6 ) 1 + c

2e
= n + e\ + \z~ e\2g-
The results become explicit when £ is expressed in terms of an integral basis for K.
One such basis is 6, ..., 0 24 . However, the relations
63J(639 - 1)1 (613 - 1) = 0 = 0(0 39 - l)/(0 3 - 1) (3)
3 6 24 13
permit 6 , 0 , ...,0 and 9 , hence the entire basis, to be expressed in terms of
elements 6' with (i, 39) = 1. The 24 primitive 39th roots of unity thus constitute a
second Z-basis.
Noting that G = <a, b}, with 6" = 9'2, we order the new basis as 9, 9~2, 9A,
6~ ,..., 0 14 , 0" 2 8 , ... . A typical integer of K then has the form
8

where (i) is written in place of a' 1 to avoid second-order superscripts. The argument
in Lemma 3 of [3] can now be adapted to show the expression for £ l£l2g is x r /ix,
with x = (xlf ..., x 2 4 ) r and with
2R -R]
R 2R\'
R being the symmetric matrix such that yTRy = r(y). (In the notation of [3], H is the
the direct product V(12, - 1, ..., - 1) ® V(2, - 1).) Moreover,
DetH = 3 12 -13 22 = Discr. K.
Since £ + £* = £ (xfi(>) + Xi+izd{i)b) for

(/ being the 12 x 12 identity matrix), we have

~ = 2x T
 A CYCLOTOMIC CONSTRUCTION FOR LEECH'S LATTICE 239

We are thus led to the decomposition

2ff = (I,I)TR(I,I) + 3(1, -I)TR(I, -I)

or
2xTHx = uTRu + 3\TRv = r(u) + 3r(v), (4)

where u = £ (x ; + Ar,-+12)e£ and v = £ (x ; - x,+ 12)e,-, so that if x 6 Z 2 4 ,

u = v (mod 2). (5)
b 21 27
Equation 3(0 for; = 9 yields 9 + 6 = - 6 . Hence with x = d (conforming
with the earlier use of the symbol T), we have £ + £6 = — £ «;T(l). The condition
£ 6 ^Pi^82 i s n o w eas Y t o incorporate. From (2), f + £6 must lie in the principal ideal
(A^j) of Q(T). However,

The elements T ! (1 + T 4 + T 1 0 + z 12 ) therefore generate ( A ^ ) a s a Z-module, and

the implied condition in (2) takes the form u = Mw, w e Z 1 2 , where M is the matrix
whose i-th column equals
e,- +4 ei+10 + ei+12, 1 «S i < 12,
the subscripts to be read as least non-negative residues modulo 13. From equation (1)
it can be seen that MN = 3/, N being the matrix derived from X1CX2C as M was
derived from / M 2 > t n a t is, with e ; + e i + 1 + e i + 3 + e ( + 9 for its i-th column.
Since MTRM = 3R(N.B. Re{ = e 0 + 13(1 - ^0>-)e;), (4) yields
2\THx = 3(r(w) + r(v)), (6)
and by (5) we have the mutually equivalent conditions
v = Mw (mod 2), w = Nv (mod 2). (7)

§5. 7%e minimum. The expression 22 l£|2g = x r Hx assumes the value 4 x 39 for
£, — 8(1 — 63)(l — 013) e 9t (all conjugates of £ are associates), with JC,- = — x i + 1 2 =
(5U — ^ 3i . By (6), the smaller value 2 x 39 would entail
r(w) + r(v) = 52. (8)
Now if v = 0, by (5) we obtain u = 2u' (u' e Z 12 ) and (4) shows that
2x T Hx = 4r(u') = 0 (mod 8).
(We may alternatively observe that since <jf* = ^, (9£)b = 61; cannot both be true,
and since 2 l ^ l 2 g = Sl<^l2g' t n e c a s e v = 0 does not require separate attention.)
Similarly, the possibility u = 0 can be dismissed.
When r(w), r(v) are both positive, we see from our list of small values of r that the
left side in (8) can only be one of 12 +40, 22 + 30, 26 + 26, 30 + 22 or 40 + 12.
For the case r(w) = 12, we have w = e ; with0 < i < 12. Soby(7)(i),

v = e ; + e i + 4 + e i + 1 0 + e i + 1 2 (mod 2). (9)

This is clearly incompatible with the form which v must have for r(v) = 40.
If r(w) = 22 or 26, then v will be congruent (mod 2) to a sum of two vectors such
240 MAURICE CRAIG

as the one on the right of (9). Now each ef + e i + 1 + e i + 3 + e i + 9 (and likewise each
e* + ei+4 + e i + 1 0 + e j+12 = e, + e ^ + e^3 + e;_9)
has the property of sharing precisely one summand e,- with each of its cyclic translates
(images under i -»• i + 1). This fact was encountered in MT(RM) = 3R above, and
exemplifies a familiar occurrence in coding theory; we have e0 + ej + e3 + e9 =
£ ' YjCj, where the coefficient Yj is 1 if j is a fourth-power residue (mod 13) and zero
otherwise. The consequence here is that v is congruent (mod 2) to the sum of six
distinct vectors e,-, which obstructs r(v) from taking the values 30 or 26.
To complete the argument, we assign r(v) the values 12, 22 and apply (7)(ii) to
show r(w) cannot simultaneously be 40, 30 respectively.

§6. Concluding remarks. We have identified our lattice with Leech's on the basis
of a single shared property said to characterize the latter. Such an argument fails to
instil much sentimental conviction, hence it seemed desirable to have some independent
check on the conclusion, reducing the chance of a logical error.
For this purpose, the author made a count of the minimal vectors, with the out-
come that there are 98280 minimal-vector pairs, the same as for the Leech lattice.
To reproduce this work in full would be merely tedious, but some account of it might
be useful to a reader wishing to retrace the path, and, if desired, list the different types
of minimal vectors explicitly.
We require to find all ^ 6 Q such that (in place of (8))
r(w) + r(v) = 104,
where (7) holds. The first step is to extend the list given by the Lemma, as far as
r(y) = 92 ( = 104 - 12). Thus we have
r(y) = 42, ± y = e ; + e, + ek + e, -•l-e,
48, ef + e, + e, - e , or 2ef,
52, ef + ej - ek - e , ,
etc. etc.
In fact, I3t = r(y) + s2 < 92 + 36, so t < 9. Further, t < 8 if j ^ 4. These
conditions show, for example, that \Yt\ < 2 for all i. The vectors y which satisfy
them, in combination with 0 < s < 6, are readily obtained. They are conveniently
grouped by f-value, for the purpose of computing r = \3t — s2, thence listed as
above.
Regarding the condition ^ e Q, we note that
13 = n (1 - 03>) = (3 - 013)(4 + 013).
Hence
(1 - 03, 3 - 013) = (1 + 0 + 62, 3 - 0) = (13, 3-6)
is afirst-degreeideal divisor of 13, and may be taken as Q. Since
£ = 2 (x;0<j> + xi+120(i)fc) = £ {xfi + xi+1262) (mod 1 - 03),
the condition for ^ e Q becomes £ (*; + 3x i+12 ) = 0 (mod 13). This translates as
= 2> ( , or finally, ;£>, = 5J^vt (mod 13).
 A CYCLOTOMIC CONSTRUCTION FOR LEECH'S LATTICE 241

We now work through the list, considering the cases (?"(w), r(v)) = (0, 104),
(12, 92), ..., (48, 56), (52, 52), then the same for (r(v), r(w)), but avoiding repetition
in the symmetrical last case above. For example, if r(v) = 22 and r(w) = 82, the list
shows that ± v = e ; + e,- and + w must be similar in form to one of
i -t- e 2 -t- e3 -t- e 4 -i- e 5 e6 — e7, zet -t- e 2 -t- e 3 — e^.

If we take v = e0 + e t , then by 7(ii),

w = e t + e 5 + e 6 + e 7 + e8 + e n + e 12 (mod 2).
This answers to the first type given above. Hence
+ w = ej + e5 + e 6 + e 7 + e 8 — e x l — e 12 ,
or the same with the two minus signs placed differently. (The reader should rework
this case with v = e± + e 2 , to see the modifications required for reading the table.
It is useful always to choose the initial vector so that these are avoided.)
To see whether the sign on the left should be plus or minus, observe that 5£tf( = 10.
Since £wt = 3 = —10 (mod 13) when the plus sign is used, that would be the
wrong choice. (If 2 ^< n a d been zero, both signs would have been allowed for w.) So
w = ej + e 5 - e6 - e 7 - e 8 - e n - e 12 etc.,
and we have effectively counted

M ( 2 ) = 2.32.7.13

minimal-vector pairs + x.
An additional difficulty enters when v has more than two summands. Thus if
r(v) = 30, there are two possible forms for JV(e,- + e,- + ek), depending on whether
or not the summand shared by JVe,-, Nek is the same as that common to Are;, iVe,-.
Fortunately, this type of difficulty is still only moderate in the worst case, r(v) = 42,
we have to consider.

References

1. J. H. Conway. "A group of order 8, 315, 553, 613, 086, 720, 000 ", Bull. London. Math. Soc, 1
(1969), 79-88.
2. J. H. Conway. "A characterization of Leech's lattice ", Invent. Math., 7 (1969), 137-142.
3. M. Craig. " Extreme forms and cyclotomy ", Mathematika, 25 (1978), 44-56.
4. J. Leech. " Some sphere packings in higher space ", Canad. J. Math., 16 (1964), 657-682.
5. J. Leech. " Notes on sphere packings ", ibid., 19 (1967), 251-267.
6. H.-V. Niemeier. " Definite quadratische Formen der Dimension 24 und Diskriminante 1 ",
/. Number Theory, 5 (1973), 142-178.

Department of Mathematics, 10E25: NUMBER THEORY; Geometry of num-

Western Illinois University, bers; Quadratic forms.
Macomb, Illinois 61455,
U.S.A.
Received on the Tird of January, 1978.