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This question is inspired by this post. A good answer to this question might help answer the linked post as well.

Question: Given a $24\times24$ matrix corresponding to an even, self-dual lattice in $24$ dimensions, what would be a good way to find which Niemeier lattice (let's say from the list given in Conway and Sloane's Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups) this matrix corresponds to?

Minimal working example: Assuming the columns are the basis vectors, which Neimeier lattice does the following matrix reproduce?

$$\tiny\left( \begin{array}{cccccccccccccccccccccccc} \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 1 & \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 1 & 2 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 1 & 1 & \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 2 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \frac{1}{2} & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 2 \\ \end{array} \right)$$

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

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Most Niemeier matrices are characterized by their number of "roots" (vectors of norm 2). In this case we're lucky: we find (e.g. using the qfminim function in gp) that there are $528$ roots, and thus that each of the simple root lattices contained in the lattice has Coxeter number $528/24 = 22$; and this determines the lattice uniquely: it is the one with root lattice $D_{12}^2$.

In some cases there are two Niemeier lattices with the same Coxeter number, but they can be distinguished by the index of the sublattice generated by the roots (which can be obtained in gp with the command matdet(matrixqz(qfminim(G)[3],-1)) assuming G is the name of the Gram matrix).

To partly answer your earlier question: The Nebe-Sloane "Catalogue of Lattices" gives rational bases for all the Niemeier lattices (start from the second item in the $ D=24$ page), though the coordinates are given as floating-point real numbers so they might not be as useful as you might like.

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  • $\begingroup$ Noam, I'm not sure what post he means, but recently he wanted rational bases in dimension 24. I suggested this might be impossible, and gave as example the usual circle packing lattice in the plane. Nebe gives an integer coefficient basis for that but in $\mathbb R^3$ $\endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Commented Aug 23, 2016 at 23:33
  • $\begingroup$ I replied to your comment there. The Niemeier lattices are all related by finite 2-neighbor chains, and since one of them is $D_{24}^+$ which clearly has a ${\bf Q}^{24}$ basis one can find rational bases for all of them. [Also, of course $A_2$ (the circle packing) has no such basis in ${\bf Q}^2$ because its discriminant is not a square; but this obstruction cannot affect a unimodular lattice . . .] $\endgroup$
    – Noam D. Elkies
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 0:14
  • $\begingroup$ Noam, thanks, I found your comment there. $\endgroup$
    – Will Jagy
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 3:07

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