Invariants Of Knots And 3 Manifolds Kyoto 2001

Due to the strong appeal and wide use of this monograph, it is now available in its third revised edition. The monograph gives a systematic treatment of 3-dimensional topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) based on the work of the author with N. Reshetikhin and O. Viro. This subject was inspired by the discovery of the Jones polynomial of knots and the Witten-Chern-Simons field theory. On the algebraic side, the study of 3-dimensional TQFTs has been influenced by the theory of braided categories and the theory of quantum groups.The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a construction of 3-dimensional TQFTs and 2-dimensional modular functors from so-called modular categories. This gives a vast class of knot invariants and 3-manifold invariants as well as a class of linear representations of the mapping class groups of surfaces. In Part II the technique of 6j-symbols is used to define state sum invariants of 3-manifolds. Their relation to the TQFTs constructed in Part I is established via the theory of shadows. Part III provides constructions of modular categories, based on quantum groups and skein modules of tangles in the 3-space.This fundamental contribution to topological quantum field theory is accessible to graduate students in mathematics and physics with knowledge of basic algebra and topology. It is an indispensable source for everyone who wishes to enter the forefront of this fascinating area at the borderline of mathematics and physics. Contents:Invariants of graphs in Euclidean 3-space and of closed 3-manifoldsFoundations of topological quantum field theoryThree-dimensional topological quantum field theoryTwo-dimensional modular functors6j-symbolsSimplicial state sums on 3-manifoldsShadows of manifolds and state sums on shadowsConstructions of modular categories

A detailed exposition of the theory with an emphasis on its combinatorial aspects.

This volume deals systematically with connections between algebraic number theory and low-dimensional topology. Of particular note are various inspiring interactions between number theory and low-dimensional topology discussed in most papers in this volume. For example, quite interesting are the use of arithmetic methods in knot theory and the use of topological methods in Galois theory. Also, expository papers in both number theory and topology included in the volume can help a wide group of readers to understand both fields as well as the interesting analogies and relations that bring them together.

More recently, Khovanov introduced link homology as a generalization of the Jones polynomial to homology of chain complexes and Ozsvath and Szabo developed Heegaard-Floer homology, that lifts the Alexander polynomial. These two significantly different theories are closely related and the dependencies are the object of intensive study. These ideas mark the beginning of a new era in knot theory that includes relationships with four-dimensional problems and the creation of new forms of algebraic topology relevant to knot theory. The theory of skein modules is an older development also having its roots in Jones discovery. Another significant and related development is the theory of virtual knots originated independently by Kauffman and by Goussarov Polyak and Viro in the '90s. All these topics and their relationships are the subject of the survey papers in this book.

This volume gathers the contributions from the international conference Intelligence of Low Dimensional Topology 2006, which took place in Hiroshima in 2006. The aim of this volume is to promote research in low dimensional topology with the focus on knot theory and related topics. The papers include comprehensive reviews and some latest results.

The authors develop a canonical Wick rotation-rescaling theory in $3$-dimensional gravity. This includes (a) A simultaneous classification: this shows how maximal globally hyperbolic spacetimes of arbitrary constant curvature, which admit a complete Cauchy surface and canonical cosmological time, as well as complex projective structures on arbitrary surfaces, are all different materializations of ``more fundamental'' encoding structures. (b) Canonical geometric correlations: this shows how spacetimes of different curvature, that share a same encoding structure, are related to each other by canonical rescalings, and how they can be transformed by canonical Wick rotations in hyperbolic $3$-manifolds, that carry the appropriate asymptotic projective structure. Both Wick rotations and rescalings act along the canonical cosmological time and have universal rescaling functions. These correlations are functorial with respect to isomorphisms of the respective geometric categories.

This volume contains lectures from the Graduate Summer School “Quantum Field Theory and Manifold Invariants” held at Park City Mathematics Institute 2019. The lectures span topics in topology, global analysis, and physics, and they range from introductory to cutting edge. Topics treated include mathematical gauge theory (anti-self-dual equations, Seiberg-Witten equations, Higgs bundles), classical and categorified knot invariants (Khovanov homology, Heegaard Floer homology), instanton Floer homology, invertible topological field theory, BPS states and spectral networks. This collection presents a rich blend of geometry and topology, with some theoretical physics thrown in as well, and so provides a snapshot of a vibrant and fast-moving field. Graduate students with basic preparation in topology and geometry can use this volume to learn advanced background material before being brought to the frontiers of current developments. Seasoned researchers will also benefit from the systematic presentation of exciting new advances by leaders in their fields.