Let G be a simple complex algebraic group and g its Lie algebra. We show that the g-Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev quantum invariants determine a deformation-quantization, C_q[X_G(torus)], of the coordinate ring of the G-character variety of the torus. We prove that this deformation is in the direction of the Goldman's bracket. Furthermore, we show that every knot K defines an ideal I_K in C_q[X_G(torus)]. We conjecture that the homomorphism C_q[X_G(torus)] -> C[X_G(torus)], q -> 1, maps I_K to the ideal whose radical is the kernel of the map C[X_G(torus)] -> C[X_G(S^3 K)]. This conjecture is related to AJ-conjecture for sl(2,\C). The results of this paper are inspired by the theory of q-holonomic relations between quantum invariants of Garoufalidis and Le. Along the way, we disprove Conjecture 2 in Le's "The Colored Jones and the A-polynomial of Two-Bridge knots".
It is known that the fundamental group homomorphism $π_1(T^2) \to π_1(S^3\setminus K)$ induced by the inclusion of the boundary torus into the complement of a knot $K$ in $S^3$ is a complete knot invariant. Many classical invariants of knots arise from the natural (restriction) map induced by the above homomorphism on the $\mathrm{SL}_2$-character varieties of the corresponding fundamental groups. In our earlier work [BS16], we proposed a conjecture that the classical restriction map admits a canonical 2-parameter deformation into a smooth cubic surface. In this paper, we show that (modulo som…
The colored Jones function of a knot is a sequence of Laurent polynomials in one variable, whose n-th term is the Jones polynomial of the knot colored with the n-dimensional irreducible representation of SL(2). It was recently shown by TTQ Le and the author that the colored Jones function of a knot is q-holonomic, ie, that it satisfies a nontrivial linear recursion relation with appropriate coefficients. Using holonomicity, we introduce a geometric invariant of a knot: the characteristic variety, an affine 1-dimensional variety in C^2. We then compare it with the character variety of SL_2(C) r…
It is well known that (in suitable codimension) the spaces of long knots in $\mathbb{R}^n$ modulo immersions are double loop spaces. Hence the homology carries a natural Gerstenhaber structure, given by the Gerstenhaber structure on the Hochschild homology of the $n$-Poisson operad. In this paper, we compute the latter Gerstenhaber structure in terms of hairy graphs, and show that it is not quite trivial combinatorially. Curiously, the construction makes essential use of methods and results of deformation quantization, and thus provides a bridge between two previously little related subjects i…
Seidel-Smith and Manolescu constructed knot homology theories using symplectic fibrations whose total spaces were certain varieties of matrices. These knot homology theories were associated to $SL(n) $ and tensor products of the standard and dual representations. In this paper, we place their geometric setups in a natural, general framework. For any complex reductive group and any sequence of minuscule dominant weights, we construct a fibration of affine varieties over a configuration space. The middle cohomology of these varieties is isomorphic to the space of invariants in the corresponding …
In this paper we describe progress made toward the construction of the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev theory of knot invariants from the geometric point of view. This is done in the perspective of a joint result of the author with A. Uribe which relates the quantum group and the Weyl quantizations of the moduli space of flat SU(2)-connections on the tours. Two results are emphasized: the reconstruction from Weyl quantization of the restriction to the torus of the modular functor, and a description of a basis of the space of quantum observables on the torus in terms of colored curves, which answers …
We study algebras constructed by quantum Hamiltonian reduction associated with symplectic quotients of symplectic vector spaces, including deformed preprojective algebras, symplectic reflection algebras (rational Cherednik algebras), and quantization of hypertoric varieties introduced by Musson and Van den Bergh. We determine BRST cohomologies associated with these quantum Hamiltonian reductions. To compute these BRST cohomologies, we make use of method of deformation quantization (DQ-algebras) and F-action studied in [Kashiwara-Rouquier], and in [Gordon-Losev].
We compute an explicit algebraic deformation quantization for an affine Poisson variety described by an ideal in a polynomial ring, and inheriting its Poisson structure from the ambient space.
Let X be a smooth algebraic variety over a field K containing the real numbers. We introduce the notion of twisted associative (resp. Poisson) deformation of the structure sheaf of X. These are stack-like versions of usual deformations. We prove that there is a twisted quantization operation from twisted Poisson deformations to twisted associative deformations, which is canonical and bijective on gauge equivalence classes. This result extends work of Kontsevich, and our own earlier work, on deformation quantization of algebraic varieties.
Based on a construction by Kashiwara and Rouquier, we present an analogue of the Beilinson- Bernstein localization theorem for hypertoric varieties. In this case, sheaves of differential operators are replaced by sheaves of W-algebras. As a special case, our result gives a localization theorem for rational Cherednik algebras associated to cyclic groups.
By the quantization condition compact quantizable Kaehler manifolds can be embedded into projective space. In this way they become projective varieties. The quantum Hilbert space of the Berezin-Toeplitz quantization (and of the geometric quantization) is the projective coordinate ring of the embedded manifold. This allows for generalization to the case of singular varieties. The set-up is explained in the first part of the contribution. The second part of the contribution is of tutorial nature. Necessary notions, concepts, and results of algebraic geometry appearing in this approach to quantiz…
For an affine toric variety $\mathrm{Spec}(A)$, we give a convex geometric description of the Hodge decomposition of its Hochschild cohomology. Under certain assumptions we compute the dimensions of the Hodge summands $T^1_{(i)}(A)$, generalizing the existing results about the Andre-Quillen cohomology group $T^1_{(1)}(A)$. We prove that every Poisson structure on a possibly singular affine toric variety can be quantized in the sense of deformation quantization.
Let X be a smooth algebraic variety over a field of characteristic 0. We introduce the notion of twisted associative (resp. Poisson) deformation of the structure sheaf O_X. These are stack-like versions of usual deformations. We prove that there is a twisted quantization map from twisted Poisson deformations to twisted associative deformations, which is canonical and bijective on equivalence classes.
We construct quantizations of multiplicative hypertoric varieties using an algebra of q-difference operators on affine space, where q is a root of unity in C. The quantization defines a matrix bundle (i.e. Azumaya algebra) over the multiplicative hypertoric variety and admits an explicit finite étale splitting. The global sections of this Azumaya algebra is a hypertoric quantum group, and we prove a localization theorem. We introduce a general framework of Frobenius quantum moment maps and their Hamiltonian reductions; our results shed light on an instance of this framework.
The paper is devoted to peculiarities of the deformation quantization in the algebro-geometric context. A direct application of the formality theorem to an algebraic Poisson manifold gives a canonical sheaf of categories deforming coherent sheaves. The global category is very degenerate in general. Thus, we introduce a new notion of a semi-formal deformation, a replacement in algebraic geometry of an actual deformation (versus a formal one). Deformed algebras obtained by semi-formal deformations are Noetherian and have polynomial growth. We propose constructions of semi-formal quantizations of…
The colored HOMLFY polynomial is an important knot invariant depending on two variables $a$ and $q$. We give bounds on the degree in both $a$ and $q$ generalizing Morton's bounds \cite{Mo86} for the ordinary HOMFLY polynomial. Our bounds suggest that the degree detects certain incompressible surfaces in the knot complement and perhaps more generally features of the $SL(N)$ character varieties of the knot group. We formulate a precise conjecture along these lines generalizing the slope conjecture of Garoufalidis \cite{Ga11}. We prove our conjecture for all positive knots. Our technique is a ref…
A cluster variety of Fock and Goncharov is a scheme constructed from the data related to the cluster algebras of Fomin and Zelevinsky. A seed is a combinatorial data which can be encoded as an $n\times n$ matrix with integer entries, or as a quiver in special cases, together with $n$ formal variables. A mutation is a certain rule for transforming a seed into another seed; the new variables are related to the previous variables by some rational expressions. To each seed one attaches an $n$-dimensional torus, and by gluing the tori along the birational maps defined by the mutation formulas, one …
We investigate the Berezin-Toeplitz operators that operate on the geometric quantized space corresponding to the $SO(3)$-Witten-Chern-Simons theory. We conjecture that the $SO(3)$-Berezin-Toeplitz operators quantized from the A-polynomial annihilate the corresponding $SO(3)$-knot states.
Let k be an algebraically closed field of odd characteristic. We describe derivations of a large class of quantizations of affine normal Poisson varieties over k.
Let $X$ be a smooth symplectic variety over a field $k$ of characteristic $p>2$ equipped with a restricted structure, which is a class $[η] \in H^0(X, Ω^1_X/d\mathcal O_X)$ whose de Rham differential equals the symplectic form. In this paper we construct a functorial in $(X, [η])$ formal quantization of the category $\mathrm{QCoh}(X)$ of quasi-coherent sheaves on $X$. We also construct its natural extension to a quasi-coherent sheaf of categories $\mathrm{QCoh}_h$ on the product $X^{(1)} \times {\mathbb S}$ of the Frobenius twist of $X$ and the projective line ${\mathbb S}=\mathbb P^1$, viewed…
This is the first in a series of papers studying w-knotted objects (w-knots, w-braids, w-tangles, etc.), which make a class of knotted objects which is {w}ider but {w}eaker than their usual counterparts. The group of w-braids was studied (as "{w}elded braids") by Fenn-Rimanyi-Rourke and was shown to be isomorphic to the McCool group of "basis-conjugating" automorphisms of a free group Fn. Brendle-Hatcher, tracing back to Goldsmith, have shown this group to be a group of movies of flying rings in R3. Satoh studied several classes of w-knotted objects (as "{w}eakly-virtual") and has shown them t…
We use operator algebras and operator theory to obtain new result concerning Berezin quantization of compact Kähler manifolds. Our main tool is the notion of subproduct systems of finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, which enables all involved objects, such as the Toeplitz operators, to be very conveniently expressed in terms of shift operators compressed to a subspace of full Fock space. This subspace is not required to be contained in the symmetric Fock space, so from finite-dimensional matrix algebras we can construct noncommutative manifolds with extra structure generalizing that of a projec…
These notes summarize the lectures delivered in the V Mexican School of Particle Physics, at the University of Guanajuato. We give a survey of the application of Ashtekar's variables to the quantization of General Relativity in four dimensions with special emphasis on the application of techniques of analytic knot theory to the loop representation. We discuss the role that the Jones Polynomial plays as a generator of nondegenerate quantum states of the gravitational field.
The main result is a construction, via the quantum dilogarithm, of certain intertwiner operators, which play the crucial role in the quantization of the cluster X-varieties and construction of the corresponding canonical representation.
Given an affine algebraic variety V and a quantization A of its coordinate ring, it is conjectured that the primitive ideal space of A can be expressed as a topological quotient of V. Evidence in favor of this conjecture is discussed, and positive solutions for several types of varieties (obtained in joint work with E. S. Letzter) are described. In particular, explicit topological quotient maps are given in the case of quantum toric varieties.
Inspired by a previous work of Nakajima, we consider perverse sheaves over acyclic graded quiver varieties and study the Fourier-Sato-Deligne transform from a representation theoretic point of view. We obtain deformed monoidal categorifications of acyclic quantum cluster algebras with specific coefficients. In particular, the (quantum) positivity conjecture is verified whenever there is an acyclic seed in the (quantum) cluster algebra. In the second part of the paper, we introduce new quantizations and show that all quantum cluster monomials in our setting belong to the dual canonical basis of…
Knot polynomials colored with symmetric representations of $SL_q(N)$ satisfy difference equations as functions of representation parameter, which look like quantization of classical ${\cal A}$-polynomials. However, they are quite difficult to derive and investigate. Much simpler should be the equations for coefficients of differential expansion nicknamed quantum ${\cal C}$-polynomials. It turns out that, for each knot, one can actually derive two difference equations of a finite order for these coefficients, those with shifts in spin $n$ of the representation and in $A=q^N$. Thus, the ${\cal C…
We use Bonahon-Wong's trace map to study character varieties of the once-punctured torus and of the 4-punctured sphere. We clarify a relationship with cluster algebra associated with ideal triangulations of surfaces, and we show that the Goldman Poisson algebra of loops on surfaces is recovered from the Poisson structure of cluster algebra. It is also shown that cluster mutations give the automorphism of the character varieties. Motivated by a work of Chekhov-Mazzocco-Rubtsov, we revisit confluences of punctures on sphere from cluster algebraic viewpoint, and we obtain associated affine cubic …
We introduce a general recipe to construct quantum projective homogeneous spaces, with a particular interest for the examples of the quantum Grassmannians and the quantum generalized flag varieties. Using this construction, we extend the quantum duality principle to quantum projective homogeneous spaces.
Let X be a an affine smooth symplectic variety over $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z},$ and A be its deformation quantization over the p-adic integers. We prove that for all $n\geq 1,$ the Hochschild cohomogy of $A/p^nA$ is isomorphic to the de Rham-Witt complex of X over $\mathbb{Z}/p^n\mathbb{Z}$. We also compute centers of deformations of certain affine Poisson varieties over $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}.$
Exact solution to many problems in mathematical physics and quantum field theory often can be expressed in terms of an algebraic curve equipped with a meromorphic differential. Typically, the geometry of the curve can be seen most clearly in a suitable semi-classical limit, as $\hbar \to 0$, and becomes non-commutative or "quantum" away from this limit. For a classical curve defined by the zero locus of a polynomial $A(x,y)$, we provide a construction of its non-commutative counterpart $\hat{A} (\hat x, \hat y)$ using the technique of the topological recursion. This leads to a powerful and sys…
We give a new method to prove a formula computing a variant of Caldararu's Mukai pairing \cite{Cal1}. Our method is based on some important results in the area of deformation quantization. In particular, part of the work of Kashiwara and Schapira in \cite{KS} as well as an algebraic index theorem of Bressler, Nest and Tsygan in \cite{BNT},\cite{BNT1} and \cite{BNT2} are used. It is hoped that our method is useful for generalization to settings involving certain singular varieties.
We give several explicit examples of quantum cluster algebra structures, as introduced by Berenstein and Zelevinsky, on quantized coordinate rings of partial flag varieties and their associated unipotent radicals. These structures are shown to be quantizations of the cluster algebra structures found on the corresponding classical objects by Geiss, Leclerc and Schroer, whose work generalizes that of several other authors. We also exhibit quantum cluster algebra structures on the quantized enveloping algebras of the Lie algebras of the unipotent radicals.
We construct, using the quantum dilogarithm, a series of *-representations of quantized cluster varieties. This includes a construction of infinite dimensional unitary projective representations of their discrete symmetry groups - the cluster modular groups. The examples of the latter include the classical mapping class groups of punctured surfaces. One of applications is quantization of higher Teichmuller spaces. The constructed unitary representations can be viewed as analogs of the Weil representation. In both cases representations are given by integral operators. Their kernels in our case …
In this paper we prove the existence of isomorphisms between certain non-commutative algebras that are interesting from representation theoretic perspective and arise as quantizations of certain Poisson algebras. We show that quantizations of Kleinian resolutions obtained by three different constructions are isomorphic to each other. The constructions are via symplectic reflection algebras, quantum Hamiltonian reduction, and W-algebras. Next, we prove that parabolic W-algebras in type A are isomorphic to quantum Hamiltonian reductions associated to quivers of type A. Finally, we show that the …
The generalized volume conjecture and the AJ conjecture (a.k.a. the quantum volume conjecture) are extended to $U_q(\fraksl_2)$ colored quantum invariants of the theta and tetrahedron graph. The $\SL(2,\bC)$ character variety of the fundamental group of the complement of a trivalent graph with $E$ edges in $S^3$ is a Lagrangian subvariety of the Hitchin moduli space over the Riemann surface of genus $g=E/3+1$. For the theta and tetrahedron graph, we conjecture that the configuration of the character variety is locally determined by large color asymptotics of the quantum invariants of the triva…
The paper shows deep connections between exotic smoothings of a small R^4 (the spacetime), the leaf space of codimension-1 foliations (related to noncommutative algebras) and quantization. At first we relate a small exotic R^4 to codimension-1 foliations of the 3-sphere unique up to foliated cobordisms and characterized by the real-valued Godbillon-Vey invariant. Special care is taken for the integer case which is related to flat PSL(2,R)-$bundles. Then we discuss the leaf space of the foliation using noncommutative geometry. This leaf space contains the hyperfinite III_1 factor of Araki and W…
We explain how quantum affine algebra actions can be used to systematically construct "exotic" t-structures. The main idea, roughly speaking, is to take advantage of the two different descriptions of quantum affine algebras, the Drinfeld--Jimbo and the Kac--Moody realizations. Our main application is to obtain exotic t-structures on certain convolution varieties defined using the Beilinson--Drinfeld and affine Grassmannians. These varieties play an important role in the geometric Langlands program, knot homology constructions, K-theoretic geometric Satake and the coherent Satake category. As a…
We elaborate on the quantization of toric varieties by combining techniques from toric geometry, isospectral deformations and noncommutative geometry in braided monoidal categories, and the construction of instantons thereon by combining methods from noncommutative algebraic geometry and a quantised twistor theory. We classify the real structures on a toric noncommutative deformation of the Klein quadric and use this to derive a new noncommutative four-sphere which is the unique deformation compatible with the noncommutative twistor correspondence. We extend the computation of equivariant inst…
