Related papers: On configuration space integrals for links
The logarithm of the Kontsevich-Kuperberg-Thurston invariant counts embeddings of connected trivalent graphs in an oriented rational homology sphere, using integrals on configuration spaces of points in the given manifold. It is a universal…
This paper is part expository and part presentation of calculational results. The target space of the Kontsevich integral for knots is a space of diagrams; this space has various algebraic structures which are described here. These are…
We introduce the notion of a flat extension of a connection $\theta$ on a principal bundle. Roughly speaking, $\theta$ admits a flat extension if it arises as the pull-back of a component of a Maurer-Cartan form. For trivial bundles over…
We determine the unitary and anti-unitary Lagrangian and quantum symmetries of arbitrary abelian Chern-Simons theories. The symmetries depend sensitively on the arithmetic properties (e.g. prime factorization) of the matrix of Chern-Simons…
We obtain a precise relation between the Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson class of a subvariety of projective space and the Euler characteristics of its general linear sections. In the case of a hypersurface, this leads to simple proofs of…
We present a general analysis of gauge invariant, exact and metric independent forms which can be constructed using higher rank field-strength tensors. The integrals of these forms over the corresponding space-time coordinates provides new…
Chern-Simons theories, which are topological quantum field theories, provide a field theoretic framework for the study of knots and links in three dimensions. These are rare examples of quantum field theories which can be exactly and…
Chern-Simons theory in the 1/N expansion has been conjectured to be equivalent to a topological string theory. This conjecture predicts a remarkable relationship between knot invariants and Gromov-Witten theory. We review some basic aspects…
We consider the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants or Chern-Simons partition function at or around roots of unity $q=e^{2\pi i \frac{1}{K}}$ with rational level $K=\frac{r}{s}$ where $r$ and $s$ are coprime integers. From the exact…
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…
We introduce a class of 3d theories consisting of strongly-coupled ${\mathcal N}=4$ systems coupled to ${\mathcal N}=3$ Chern-Simons gauge multiplets, which exhibit ${\mathcal N}=4$ enhancements when a peculiar condition on the Chern-Simons…
In this paper we analyze the quantum homological invariants (the Poincar\'e polynomials of the $\mathfrak{sl}_N$ link homology). In the case when the dimensions of homologies of appropriate topological spaces are precisely known, the…
We analyse the perturbative series expansion of the vacuum expectation value of a Wilson loop in Chern-Simons gauge theory in the temporal gauge. From the analysis emerges the notion of the kernel of a Vassiliev invariant. The kernel of a…
This paper studies U(1)-Chern-Simons theory and its relation to a construction of Chris Beasley and Edward Witten. The natural geometric setup here is that of a three-manifold with a Seifert structure. Based on a suggestion of Edward Witten…
It is a result of Gruson and Peskine that the invariants of a set points in $\ptwo$ in general position are connected. Associated to a space curve there are sequences of invariants which generalize the invariants of points in $\ptwo$. The…
A four-dimensional analog of Chern-Simons theory produces integrable lattice models from Wilson lines and surface operators. We show that this theory describes a quasi-topological sector of maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in six…
We present an elementary review of some aspects of Chern-Simons theory with complex gauge group SL(N,C). We discuss some of the challenges in defining the theory as a full-fledged TQFT, as well as some successes inspired by the 3d-3d…
Chern-Weil and Chern-Simons theory extend to certain infinite-rank bundles that appear in mathematical physics. We discuss what is known of the invariant theory of the corresponding infinite-dimensional Lie groups. We use these techniques…
The $4$-dimensional semi-holomorphic Chern-Simons theory of Costello and Yamazaki provides a gauge-theoretic origin for the Lax connection of $2$-dimensional integrable field theories. The purpose of this paper is to extend this framework…
The integrality of the Kontsevich integral and perturbative invariants is discussed. We show that the denominator of the degree $n$ part of the Kontsevich integral of any knot or link is a divisor of $(2!3!... n!)^4(n+1)!$. We also show…