Fricke Lie algebras and the genus zero property in Moonshine

Abstract

We give a new, simpler proof that the canonical actions of finite groups on Fricke-type Monstrous Lie algebras yield genus zero functions in Generalized Monstrous Moonshine, using a Borcherds-Kac-Moody Lie algebra decomposition due to Jurisich. We describe a compatibility condition, arising from the no-ghost theorem in bosonic string theory, that yields the genus zero property. We give evidence for and against the conjecture that such a compatibility for symmetries of the Monster Lie algebra gives a characterization of the Monster group.