arXiv research

We introduce $L^2$-Alexander torsions for 3-manifolds, which can be viewed as a generalization of the $L^2$-Alexander polynomial of Li--Zhang. We state the $L^2$-Alexander torsions for graph manifolds and we partially compute them for fibered manifolds. We furthermore show that given any irreducible 3-manifold there ex…

We prove a Torres-like formula for the $L^2$-Alexander torsions of links, as well as formulas for connected sums and cablings of links. Along the way we compute explicitly the $L^2$-Alexander torsions of torus links inside the three-sphere, the solid torus and the thickened torus.

We calculate the $L^2$-Alexander torsion for Seifert fiber spaces and graph manifolds in terms of the Thurston norm.

We show that the $L^2$-Alexander torsion of a 3-manifold is symmetric. This can be viewed as a generalization of the symmetry of the Alexander polynomial of a knot.

Guts determine the leading coefficients of $L^2$-Alexander torsions for 3-manifolds.

The Alexander polynomial of a knot has been generalized in three different ways to give twisted invariants. The resulting invariants are usually referred to as twisted Alexander polynomials, higher-order Alexander polynomials and $L^2$-Alexander invariants of knots. We quickly recall the definitions and we summarize an…

Establishes connection between Alexander polynomials and triangulations.

We give upper and lower bounds on the leading coefficients of the $L^2$-Alexander torsions of a $3$-manifold $M$ in terms of hyperbolic volumes and of relative $L^2$-torsions of sutured manifolds obtained by cutting $M$ along certain surfaces. We prove that for numerous families of knot exteriors the lower and upper bo…

It is well known that the Burau representation of the braid group can be used to recover the Alexander polynomial of the closure of a braid. We define $L^2$-Burau maps and use them to compute some $L^2$-Alexander torsions of links. As an application, we prove that the $L^2$-Burau maps distinguish more braids than the B…

For an irreducible orientable compact $3$-manifold $N$ with empty or incompressible toral boundary, the full $L^2$--Alexander torsion $τ^{(2)}(N,φ)(t)$ associated to any real first cohomology class $φ$ of $N$ is represented by a function of a positive real variable $t$. The paper shows that $τ^{(2)}(N,φ)$ is continuous…

New link invariants derived from $L^2$-Burau maps of braids.

This paper deals with the study of a new family of knot invariants: the $L^2$-Alexander invariant. A main result is to give a method of computation of the $L^2$-Alexander invariant of a knot complement using any presentation of default 1 of the knot group.

In this article, we present some of the properties of the $L^2$-Alexander invariant of a knot defined by Li and Zhang, some of which are similar to those of the classical Alexander polynomial. Notably we prove that the $L^2$-Alexander invariant detects the trivial knot.

We study how the genus, the simplicial volume and the $L^2$-Alexander invariant of W. Li and W. Zhang can detect individual knots among all others. In particular, we use various techniques coming from hyperbolic geometry and topology to prove that the $L^2$-Alexander invariant contains strictly more information than th…

Analytic torsion and Reidemeister torsion help show exponential growth of torsion in cohomology.

Explicitly expresses torsion functions on lens spaces.

The paper compares two torsion invariants in complex vector bundles.

Analytic torsion matches Ray-Singer for specific nilmanifolds.

New spectral torsion defined for rescaled Dirac operators.

The paper examines torsions in Minkowskian product of Finsler metrics.

Study on stable torsion length in groups, showing it vanishes in crystallographic groups and providing algorithms for computation.

Inspired by the work of Boris Vertman on refined analytic torsion for manifolds with boundary, in this paper we extend the construction of the Cappell-Miller analytic torsion to manifolds with boundary. We also compare it with the refined analytic torsion on manifolds with boundary. As a byproduct of the gluing formula…

Analytic torsion studied for fibred boundary metrics, with applications to conic degeneration.

The refined analytic torsion associated to a flat vector bundle over a closed odd-dimensional manifold canonically defines a quadratic form $τ$ on the determinant line of the cohomology. Both $τ$ and the Burghelea-Haller torsion are refinements of the Ray-Singer torsion. We show that whenever the Burghelea-Haller torsi…

Classifies simply-connected pluriclosed manifolds with parallel Bismut torsion.

Hypersymplectic structures with torsion on Lie algebroids are investigated. We show that each hypersymplectic structure with torsion on a Lie algebroid determines three Nijenhuis morphisms. From a contravariant point of view, these structures are twisted Poisson structures. We prove the existence of a one-to-one corres…

Explicit formula for Reidemeister torsion of two-bridge knots.

In this paper we show that the Ray-Singer complex analytic torsion is trivial for even dimensional Calabi-Yau manifolds. Then we define the quaternionic analytic torsion for quaternionic manifolds and prove that they are metric independent. In dimension four, the quaternionic analytic torsion equals to the self-dual an…

We introduce multi-torsion, a spectral invariant generalizing Ray-Singer analytic torsion. We define multi-torsion for compact manifolds with a certain local geometric product structure that gives a bigrading on differential forms. We prove that multi-torsion is metric-independent in a suitable sense. Our definition of…

New dynamical torsion for contact Anosov flows connects to Reidemeister torsion.

In a recent joint work with V. Turaev (cf. math.DG/9810114) we defined a new concept of combinatorial torsion which we called absolute torsion. Compared with the classical Reidemeister torsion it has the advantage of having a well-defined sign. Also, the absolute torsion is defined for arbitrary orientable flat vector …

In the Khovanov homology of links, presence of $\mathbb{Z}_2$-torsion is a very common phenomenon. Finite number of examples of knots with $\mathbb{Z}_n$-torsion for $n>2$ were also known, none for $n>8$. In this paper, we prove that there are infinite families of links whose Khovanov homology contains $\mathbb{Z}_n$-t…

Analytic torsion defined for non-compact Lie groups and discrete subgroups.

New connections found with specific torsion properties.

A nontrivial element in a group is a generalized torsion element if some nonempty finite product of its conjugates is the identity. We prove that any generalized torsion element in a free product of torsion-free groups is conjugate to a generalized torsion element in some factor group. This implies that the fundamental…

Braverman and Kappeler introduced a refinement of the Ray-Singer analytic torsion associated to a flat vector bundle over a closed odd-dimensional manifold. We study this notion and improve the Braverman-Kappeler theorem comparing the refined analytic torsion with Farber-Turaev refinement of the combinatorial torsion. …

This paper shows hyperbolic knots can have arbitrarily large torsion in knot Floer homology.

Paper finds generalized torsions in non-bi-orderable 3-manifold groups.

Study shows specific states produce Khovanov homology torsion.

The curvature properties of a specific type of 6-manifold are explored.

The abstract discusses transformations on statistical and semi-Weyl manifolds with torsion.

Study connects spectral and algebraic torsion in geometric contexts.

Study torsion and curvature in ACYT and AHKT 8-manifolds.

Study shows torsion homology growth vanishes for certain free-by-cyclic groups.

On an odd-dimensional oriented hyperbolic manifold of finite volume with strongly acyclic coefficient systems, we derive a formula relating analytic torsion with the Reidemeister torsion of the Borel-Serre compactification of the manifold. In a companion paper, this formula is used to derive exponential growth of torsi…

Study on instantons in $G_2$ and $Spin(7)$ manifolds.

Ray-Singer torsion is a mathematical concept with applications in physics.

In this text we introduce the torsion of spinor connections. In terms of the torsion we give conditions on a spinor connection to produce Killing vector fields. We relate the Bianchi type identities for the torsion of spinor connections with Jacobi identities for vector fields on supermanifolds. Furthermore, we discuss…