Related papers: Vassiliev Invariants and the Loop States in Quantu…
I argue that the complete partition function of 3D quantum gravity is given by a path integral over gauge-inequivalent manifolds times the Chern-Simons partition function. In a discrete version, it gives a sum over simplicial complexes…
We explore algebraic relations on Vassiliev knot invariants related with correlators in the 3-dimensional Chern--Simons theory. Vassiliev invariants form infinite-dimensional algebra. We focus on $k$-parametric knot families with Vassiliev…
A brief summary of the development of perturbative Chern-Simons gauge theory related to the theory of knots and links is presented. Emphasis is made on the progress achieved towards the determination of a general combinatorial expression…
A brief introduction to Topological Quantum Field Theory as well as a description of recent progress made in the field is presented. I concentrate mainly on the connection between Chern-Simons gauge theory and Vassiliev invariants, and…
We study Vassiliev invariants of links in a 3-manifold $M$ by using chord diagrams labeled by elements of the fundamental group of $M$. We construct universal Vassiliev invariants of links in $M$, where $M=P^2\times [0,1]$ is a cylinder…
In the context of canonical quantum gravity in terms of Ashtekar's new variables, it is known that there exists a state that is annihilated by all the quantum constraints and that is given by the exponential of the Chern--Simons form…
We study Chern-Simons Gauge Theory in axial gauge on ${\mathbb R}^3.$ This theory has a quadratic Lagrangian and therefore expectations can be computed nonperturbatively by explicit formulas, giving an (unbounded) linear functional on a…
Chern-Simons gauge theory for compact semisimple groups is analyzed from a perturbation theory point of view. The general form of the perturbative series expansion of a Wilson line is presented in terms of the Casimir operators of the gauge…
Taking as starting point a perturbative study of the classical equations of motion of the non-Abelian Chern-Simons Theory with non-dynamical sources, we search for analytical expressions for link invarians. In order to present these…
This book is a detailed introduction to the theory of finite type (Vassiliev) knot invariants, with a stress on its combinatorial aspects. It is intended to serve both as a textbook for readers with no or little background in this area, and…
Given a finite dimensional representation of a semisimple Lie algebra there are two ways of constructing link invariants: 1) quantum group invariants using the R-matrix, 2) the Kontsevich universal link invariant followed by the Lie algebra…
This paper is expository and is accessible to students. We define simple invariants of knots or links (linking number, Arf-Casson invariants and Alexander-Conway polynomials) motivated by interesting results whose statements are accessible…
Recent work on the loop representation of quantum gravity has revealed previously unsuspected connections between knot theory and quantum gravity, or more generally, 3-dimensional topology and 4-dimensional generally covariant physics. We…
Vassiliev's knot invariants can be computed in different ways but many of them as Kontsevich integral are very difficult. We consider more visual diagram formulas of the type Polyak-Viro and give new diagram formula for the two basic…
Witten described how a path integral quantization of Wilson Loop observables will define Jones polynomial type of link invariants, using the Chern-Simons gauge theory in $\mathbb{R}^3$. In this gauge theory, a compact Lie group ${\rm G}$,…
A brief review on the progress made in the study of Chern-Simons gauge theory since its relation to knot theory was discovered ten years ago is presented. Emphasis is made on the analysis of the perturbative study of the theory and its…
Pulling back the weight systems associated with the exceptional Lie algebras and their standard representations by a modification of the universal Vassiliev-Kontsevich invariant yields link invariants; extending them to coloured 3-nets, we…
We construct gauge invariant operators for singular knots in the context of Chern-Simons gauge theory. These new operators provide polynomial invariants and Vassiliev invariants for singular knots. As an application we present the form of…
We construct an invariant of 3-manifolds using a modification of the Kontsevich integral and Kirby's calculus. This invariant, as expected in perturbative Chern-Simon theory, takes values in the algebra of oriented 3-valent graphs. This…
We present a quantization of the Hamiltonian and diffeomorphism constraint of canonical quantum gravity in the spin network representation. The novelty consists in considering a space of wavefunctions based on the Vassiliev knot invariants.…