arXiv research

New skein categories for non-semisimple settings, extending existing theory.

New (3+1) TQFTs created from non-semisimple categories.

Propose a model-independent axiomatic framework for derived skein theory.

Abstract: Mapping class groups act on cohomology of surfaces via Hochschild cohomology.

We show that the renormalized quantum invariants of links and graphs in the 3-sphere, derived from tensor categories in ["Modified quantum dimensions and re-normalized link invariants", arXiv:0711.4229] lead to modified 6j-symbols and to new state sum 3-manifold invariants. We give examples of categories such that the …

The paper defines cyclic sets from ribbon string links and connects them to quantum invariants.

In this paper we construct invariants of 3-manifolds "à la Reshetikhin-Turaev" in the setting of non-semi-simple ribbon tensor categories. We give concrete examples of such categories which lead to a family of 3-manifold invariants indexed by the integers. We prove this family of invariants has several notable features…

The Reshetikhin-Turaev invariant, Turaev's TQFT, and many related constructions rely on the encoding of certain tangles (n-string links, or ribbon n-handles) as n-forms on the coend of a ribbon category. We introduce the monoidal category of Hopf diagrams, and describe a universal encoding of ribbon string links as Hop…

We consider two approaches to isotopy invariants of oriented links: one from ribbon categories and the other from generalized Yang-Baxter operators with appropriate enhancements. The generalized Yang-Baxter operators we consider are obtained from so-called gYBE objects following a procedure of Kitaev and Wang. We show …

New invariant from Viro's gl(1|1) polynomial distinguishes lens spaces.

Quantum invariant derived from ternary cohomology of self-distributive structures.

Functor connects 4D 2-handlebodies to ribbon categories, detecting non-deformation diffeomorphisms.

For a group G, the notion of a ribbon G-category was introduced by the second author in a previous work with a view towards constructing 3-dimensional homotopy quantum field theories (HQFT's) with target K(G,1). We discuss here how to derive ribbon G-categories from a simple complex Lie algebra g where G is the center …

We define the notion of a Kirby element of a ribbon category C (not necessarily semisimple). Kirby elements lead to 3-manifolds invariants. We characterize (in terms of the structure maps of some categorical Hopf algebra) a set of Kirby elements of C which is sufficiently large to recover the known quantum invariants c…

We construct what we call a Kirby category, a monoidal category whose morphisms are smooth 4-manifolds, projecting down to another monoidal category whose morphisms are orientable 3-manifolds, the projection being induced by the boundary map on manifolds. We construct a higher categorical generalization of such concept…

We extend the construction of the Hennings TQFT for ribbon Hopf algebras to the case of ribbon quasi-Hopf algebras as defined by Drinfeld. Calculations proceed in a similar fashion to the ordinary Hopf algebra case, but also require the handling of the non-trivial coassociator in the triple tensor product of the algebr…

Internalizes Turaev's construction for TQFTs using ribbon categories.

New categories from TQFTs interpret skein relations.

We define a category $v\mathcal{T}$ of tangles diagrams drawn on surfaces with boundaries. On the one hand we show that there is a natural functor from the category of virtual tangles to $v\mathcal{T}$ which induces an equivalence of categories. On the other hand, we show that $v\mathcal{T}$ is universal among ribbon c…

Calculates Dehn twist actions on conformal blocks for modular categories.

A new approach to Morse theory using folded ribbon trees.

Involutive Hopf monoids yield surface invariants.

A modular tensor category $\mathcal{C}$ gives rise to a Reshetikhin-Turaev type topological quantum field theory which is defined on 3-dimensional bordisms with embedded $\mathcal{C}$-coloured ribbon graphs. We extend this construction to include bordisms with surface defects which in turn can meet along line defects. …

Quantum invariants for surfaces in 4D 2-handlebodies.

Study on prime knots, slice obstructions, and ribbon concordances.

We develop the general theory for the construction of Extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (ETQFTs) associated with the Costantino-Geer-Patureau quantum invariants of closed 3-manifolds. In order to do so, we introduce relative modular categories, a class of ribbon categories which are modeled on representations…

Using an extension of the Kontsevich integral to tangles in handlebodies similar to a construction given by Andersen, Mattes and Reshetikhin, we construct a functor $Z:\mathcal{B}\to \widehat{\mathbb{A}}$, where $\mathcal{B}$ is the category of bottom tangles in handlebodies and $\widehat{\mathbb{A}}$ is the degree-com…

The paper classifies homotopy ribbon discs with specific groups.

A bottom tangle is a tangle in a cube consisting of arc components whose boundary points are on a line in the bottom square of the cube. A ribbon bottom tangle is a bottom tangle whose closure is a ribbon link. For every n-component ribbon bottom tangle T, we prove that the universal invariant J_T of T associated to th…

We investigate the relationship between the algebra of tensor categories and the topology of framed 3-manifolds. On the one hand, tensor categories with certain algebraic properties determine topological invariants. We prove that fusion categories of nonzero global dimension are 3-dualizable, and therefore provide 3-di…

New invariants from symplectic fermions categorify link and manifold structures.

It is known that every ribbon category with unimodality allows symmetrized $6j$-symbols with full tetrahedral symmetries while a spherical category does not in general. We give an explicit counterexample for this, namely the category $\mathcal{E}$. We define the mirror conjugate symmetry of $6j$-symbols instead and sho…

The Drinfeld double of a finite dimensional Hopf algebra is a quasi-triangular Hopf algebra with the canonical element as the universal $R$-matrix, and one can obtain a ribbon Hopf algebra by adding the ribbon element. The universal quantum invariant of framed links is constructed using a ribbon Hopf algebra. In that c…

We show that for any n > 3 there exists an equivalence functor from the category of n-fold connected simple coverings of B^3 x [0, 1] branched over ribbon surface tangles up to certain local ribbon moves, to the category Chb^{3+1} of orientable relative 4-dimensional 2-handlebody cobordisms up to 2-deformations. As a c…

Refines a tangle invariant using XC-algebras.

Skein theory classifies UFCs with specific fusion rules.

Ribbon tangles are proper embeddings of tori and cylinders in the $4$-ball~$B^4$, "bounding" $3$-manifolds with only ribbon disks as singularities. We construct an Alexander invariant $\mathsf{A}$ of ribbon tangles equipped with a representation of the fundamental group of their exterior in a free abelian group $G$. Th…

We use modified traces to renormalize Lyubashenko's closed 3-manifold invariants coming from twist non-degenerate finite unimodular ribbon categories. Our construction produces new topological invariants which we upgrade to 2+1-TQFTs under the additional assumption of factorizability. The resulting functors provide mon…

We construct certain tensor categories that are dominated by finitely many simple objects. Objects in these categories are modules over rings of algebra integers. We show how to obtain TQFTs defined over algebra integers from these categories.

The paper explores how the unit inclusion affects topological quantum field theories in non-semisimple categories.

Paper describes a state sum formula for a graph coloring polynomial.

We define a symmetric monoidal (4,3)-category with duals whose objects are certain enriched multi-fusion categories. For every modular tensor category $\mathcal{C}$, there is a self enriched multi-fusion category $\mathfrak{C}$ giving rise to an object of this symmetric monoidal (4,3)-category. We conjecture that the e…

We prove that semisimple 4-dimensional oriented topological field theories lead to stable diffeomorphism invariants and can therefore not distinguish homeomorphic closed oriented smooth 4-manifolds and homotopy equivalent simply connected closed oriented smooth 4-manifolds. We show that all currently known 4-dimensiona…

Mathematical study supports connection between 3D manifolds and modular tensor categories.

The abstract introduces a method to compute surface invariants in 4-manifolds.

Classical and quantum Chern-Simons with gauge group $\text{U}(1)^N$ were classified by Belov and Moore in \cite{belov_moore}. They studied both ordinary topological quantum field theories as well as spin theories. On the other hand a correspondence is well known between ordinary $(2+1)$-dimensional TQFTs and modular te…

We introduce the notion of a relative spherical category. We prove that such a category gives rise to the generalized Kashaev and Turaev-Viro-type 3-manifold invariants defined in arXiv:1008.3103 and arXiv:0910.1624, respectively. In this case we show that these invariants are equal and extend to what we call a relativ…

We show that simple coverings of B^4 branched over ribbon surfaces up to certain local ribbon moves bijectively represent orientable 4-dimensional 2-handlebodies up to handle sliding and addition/deletion of cancelling handles. As a consequence, we obtain an equivalence theorem for simple coverings of S^3 branched over…