Automorphic Lie algebras and modular forms

We introduce and study certain hyperbolic versions of automorphic Lie algebras related to the modular group. Let $\Gamma$ be a finite index subgroup of $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{Z})$ with an action on a complex simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$, which can be extended to $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$. We show that the Lie algebra of the corresponding $\mathfrak{g}$-valued modular forms is isomorphic to the extension of $\mathfrak{g}$ over the usual modular forms. This establishes a modular analogue of a well-known result by Kac on twisted loop algebras. The case of principal congruence subgroups $\Gamma(N), \, N\leq 6$ are considered in more details in relation to the classical results of Klein and Fricke and the celebrated Markov Diophantine equation. We finish with a brief discussion of the extensions and representations of these Lie algebras.