Related papers: Integral Expressions for the Vassiliev Knot Invari…
A framework for studying knot and link invariants from any rational conformal field theory is developed. In particular, minimal models, superconformal models and $W_N$ models are studied. The invariants are related to the invariants…
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 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…
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…
Chern-Simons gauge theory, since its inception as a topological quantum field theory, has proved to be a rich source of understanding for knot invariants. In this work the theory is used to explore the definition of the expectation value of…
An exposition of Vassiliev invariants is given in terms of the simplest approach to the functional integral construction of link invariants from Chern-Simons theory. This approach gives the top row evaluations of Vassiliev invariants for…
We give an introductory survey on the universal Vassiliev invariant called the perturbative series expansion of the Chern-Simons theory of links in euclidean space, and on its relation with the Kontsevich integral. We also prove an original…
This article surveys the use of configuration space integrals in the study of the topology of knot and link spaces. The main focus is the exposition of how these integrals produce finite type invariants of classical knots and links. More…
The universal Vassiliev invariant from the perturbative Chern-Simons theory is actually a knot invariant without any correction term. The anomaly considered by Bott and Taubes is proved to be zero.
We discuss Vassiliev invariants for virtual knots, expanding upon the theory of quantum virtual knot invariants developed in arXiv:1509.00578. In particular, following the theory of quantum invariants we work with 'rotational' virtual…
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…
We construct two distinct yet related M-theory models that provide suitable frameworks for the study of knot invariants. We then focus on the four-dimensional gauge theory that follows from appropriately compactifying one of these M-theory…
We show that any of the new knot invariants obtained from Chern-Simons theory based on an arbitrary non-abelian gauge group do not distinguish isotopically inequivalent mutant knots and links. In an attempt to distinguish these knots and…
We explicitly show that the new polynomial invariants for knots, upto nine crossings, agree with the Ooguri-Vafa conjecture relating Chern-Simons gauge theory to topological string theory on the resolution of the conifold.
Topological quantum field theories can be used as a powerful tool to probe geometry and topology in low dimensions. Chern-Simons theories, which are examples of such field theories, provide a field theoretic framework for the study of knots…
We analyse the structure of the perturbative series expansion of Chern-Simons gauge theory in the light-cone gauge. After introducing a regularization prescription that entails the consideration of framed knots, we present the general form…
Sinha and Vafa had conjectured that the $SO$ Chern-Simons gauge theory on $S^3$ must be dual to the closed $A$-model topological string on the orientifold of a resolved conifold. Though the Chern-Simons free energy could be rewritten in…
Quantum knot invariants (like colored HOMFLY-PT or Kauffman polynomials) are a distinguished class of non-perturbative topological invariants. Any known way to construct them (via Chern-Simons theory or quantum R-matrix) starts with a…
We obtain a localized version of the configuration space integral for the Casson knot invariant, where the standard symmetric Gauss form is replaced with a locally supported form. An interesting technical difference between the arguments…
We summarize the progress made during the last few years on the study of Vassiliev invariants from the point of view of perturbative Chern-Simons gauge theory. We argue that this approach is the most promising one to obtain a combinatorial…