Using the correspondence between Chern-Simons theories and Wess-Zumino-Witten models we present the necessary tools to calculate colored HOMFLY polynomials for hyperbolic knots. For two-bridge hyperbolic knots we derive the colored HOMFLY invariants in terms of crossing matrices of the underlying Wess-Zumino-Witten model. Our analysis extends previous works by incorporating non-trivial multiplicities for the primaries appearing in the crossing matrices, so as to describe colorings of HOMFLY invariants beyond the totally symmetric or anti-symmetric representations of SU(N). The crossing matrices directly relate to 6j-symbols of the quantum group U_q(su(N)). We present powerful methods to calculate such quantum 6j-symbols for general N. This allows us to determine previously unknown colored HOMFLY polynomials for two-bridge hyperbolic knots. We give explicitly the HOMFLY polynomials colored by the representation {2,1} for two-bridge hyperbolic knots with up to eight crossings. Yet, the scope of application of our techniques goes beyond knot theory; e.g., our findings can be used to study correlators in Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theories or -- in the limit to classical groups -- to determine color factors for Yang Mills amplitudes.
By using the HOMFLY skein theory. We prove a strong integrality theorem for the reduced colored HOMFLYPT invariants defined by a basis in the full HOMFLY skein of the annulus.
We prove that the HOMFLYPT polynomial of a link, colored by partitions with a fixed number of rows is a $q$-holonomic function. Specializing to the case of knots colored by a partition with a single row, it proves the existence of an $(a,q)$ super-polynomial of knots in 3-space, as was conjectured by string theorists. Our proof uses skew Howe duality that reduces the evaluation of web diagrams and their ladders to a Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt computation of an auxiliary quantum group of rank the number of strings of the ladder diagram.
We define reduced colored sl(N) link homologies and use deformation spectral sequences to characterize their dependence on color and rank. We then define reduced colored HOMFLY-PT homologies and prove that they arise as large N limits of sl(N) homologies. Together, these results allow proofs of many aspects of the physically conjectured structure of the family of type A link homologies. In particular, we verify a conjecture of Gorsky, Gukov and Stošić about the growth of colored HOMFLY-PT homologies.
We give a rigorous proof of the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of the trefoil knot, the figure-eight knot and twist knots. For the trefoil knot and the figure-eight knot, it is expressed by a single sum, and for a twist knot, it is expressed by a double sum.
We illustrate from the viewpoint of braiding operations on WZNW conformal blocks how colored HOMFLY polynomials with multiplicity structure can detect mutations. As an example, we explicitly evaluate the (2,1)-colored HOMFLY polynomials that distinguish a famous mutant pair, Kinoshita-Terasaka and Conway knot.
We conjecture a closed-form expression of HOMFLY-PT invariants of double twist knots colored by rectangular Young diagrams where the twist is encoded in interpolation Macdonald polynomials. We also put forth a conjecture of cyclotomic expansions of HOMFLY-PT polynomials colored by rectangular Young diagrams for any knot.
We first study superpolynomial associated to triply-graded reduced colored HOMFLY-PT homology. We propose conjectures of congruent relations and cyclotomic expansion for it. We prove conjecture of $N=1$ for torus knot case, through which we obtain the corresponding invariant $α(T(m,n))=-(m-1)(n-1)/2$. This is closely related to the Milnor conjecture. Many examples including homologically thick knots and higher representations are also tested. Based on these examples, we further propose a conjecture that invariant $α$ determined in cyclotomic expansion at $N=1$ is a lower bound for smooth 4-bal…
We present a novel symmetry of the colored HOMFLY polynomial. It relates pairs of polynomials colored by different representations at specific values of $N$ and generalizes the previously known "tug-the-hook" symmetry of the colored Alexander polynomial. As we show, the symmetry has a superalgebra origin, which we discuss qualitatively. Our main focus are the constraints that such a property imposes on the general group-theoretical structure, namely the $\mathfrak{sl}(N)$ weight system, arising in the perturbative expansion of the invariant. Finally, we demonstrate its tight relation to the ei…
We sketch a construction of Legendrian Symplectic Field Theory (SFT) for conormal tori of knots and links. Using large $N$ duality and Witten's connection between open Gromov-Witten invariants and Chern-Simons gauge theory, we relate the SFT of a link conormal to the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of the link. We present an argument that the HOMFLY-PT wave function is determined from SFT by induction on Euler characteristic, and also show how to, more directly, extract its recursion relation by elimination theory applied to finitely many noncommutative equations. The latter can be viewed as the…
We prove that topological recursion applied to the spectral curve of colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of torus knots reproduces the n-point functions of a particular partition function called the extended Ooguri-Vafa partition function. This generalizes and refines the results of Brini-Eynard-Marino and Borot-Eynard-Orantin. We also discuss how the statement of spectral curve topological recursion in this case fits into the program of Alexandrov-Chapuy-Eynard-Harnad of establishing the topological recursion for general weighted double Hurwitz numbers partition functions (a.k.a. KP tau-functions o…
We rewrite the (extended) Ooguri-Vafa partition function for colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials for torus knots in terms of the free-fermion (semi-infinite wedge) formalism, making it very similar to the generating function for double Hurwitz numbers. This allows us to conjecture the combinatorial meaning of full expansion of the correlation differentials obtained via the topological recursion on the Brini-Eynard-Mariño spectral curve for the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of torus knots. This correspondence suggests a structural combinatorial result for the extended Ooguri-Vafa partition function. …
This paper is a new step in the project of systematic description of colored knot polynomials started in arXiv:1506.00339. In this paper, we managed to explicitly find the inclusive Racah matrix, i.e. the whole set of mixing matrices in channels R^3->Q with all possible Q, for R=[3,1]. The calculation is made possible by the use of a newly-developed efficient highest-weight method, still it remains tedious. The result allows one to evaluate and investigate [3,1]-colored polynomials for arbitrary 3-strand knots, and this confirms many previous conjectures on various factorizations, universality…
We have recently proposed arXiv:2105.11565 a powerful method for computing group factors of the perturbative series expansion of the Wilson loop in the Chern-Simons theory with $SU(N)$ gauge group. In this paper, we apply the developed method to obtain and study various properties, including nonperturbative ones, of such vacuum expectation values. First, we discuss the computation of Vassiliev invariants. Second, we discuss the Vogel theorem of not distinguishing chord diagrams by weight systems coming from semisimple Lie (super)algebras. Third, we provide a method for constructing linear recu…
Weaving knots $W(p, n)$ of type $(p, n)$ denote an infinite family of hyperbolic knots which have not been addressed by the knot theorists as yet. Unlike the well-known $(p,n)$ torus knots, we do not have a closed-form expression for HOMFLY-PT and the colored HOMFLY-PT for $W(p,n)$. In this paper, we confine to a hybrid generalization of $W(3,n)$ which we denote as $\hat{W}_3(m,n)$ and obtain a closed-form expression for HOMFLY-PT using the Reshitikhin and Turaev method involving $\mathcal R$-matrices. Further, we also compute $[r]$-colored HOMFLY-PT for $W(3,n)$. Surprisingly, we observe that…
Differential expansion (DE) for a Wilson loop average in representation $R$ is built to respect degenerations of representations for small groups. At the same time it behaves nicely under some changes of the loop, e.g. of some knots in the case of $3d$ Chern-Simons theory. Especially simple is the relation between the DE for the trefoil $3_1$ and for the figure eight knot $4_1$. Since arbitrary colored HOMFLY for the trefoil are known from the Rosso-Jones formula, it is therefore enough to find their DE in order to make a conjecture for the figure eight. We fulfil this program for all rectangu…
We present a new conjectural symmetry of the colored Alexander polynomial, that is the specialization of the quantum $\mathfrak{sl}_N$ invariant widely known as the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomial. We provide arguments in support of the existence of the symmetry by studying the loop expansion and the character expansion of the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomial. We study the constraints this symmetry imposes on the group theoretic structure of the loop expansion and provide solutions to those constraints. The symmetry is a powerful tool for research on polynomial knot invariants and in the end we sugge…
Obtaining a closed-form expression for the colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials of knots from $3$-strand braids carrying arbitrary $SU(N)$ representation is a challenging problem. In this paper, we confine our interest to twisted generalized hybrid weaving knots which we denote hereafter by $\hat{Q}_3(m_1,-m_2,n,\ell)$. This family of knots not only generalizes the well-known class of weaving knots but also contains an infinite family of quasi-alternating knots. Interestingly, we obtain a closed-form expression for the HOMFLY-PT polynomial of $\hat{Q}_3(m_1,-m_2,n,\ell)$ using a modified version of t…
As a new step in the study of rectangularly-colored knot polynomials, we reformulate the prescription of arXiv:1606.06015 for twist knots in the double-column representations $R=[rr]$ in terms of skew Schur polynomials. These, however, are mysteriously shifted from the standard topological locus, what makes further generalization to arbitrary $R=[r^s]$ not quite straightforward.
Obtaining colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials for knots from 3-strand braid carrying arbitrary $SU(N)$ representation is still tedious. For a class of rank $r$ symmetric representations, $[r]$-colored HOMFLY-PT $H_{[r]}$ evaluation becomes simpler. Recently it was shown that $H_{[r]}$, for such knots from 3-strand braid, can be constructed using the quantum Racah coefficients (6j-symbols) of $U_q(sl_2)$. In this paper, we generalise it to links whose components carry different symmetric representations. We illustrate the technique by evaluating multi-colored link polynomials $H_{[r_1],[r_2]}$ for th…
Alexander polynomial arises in the leading term of a semi-classical Melvin-Morton-Rozansky expansion of colored knot polynomials. In this work, following the opposite direction, we propose how to reconstruct colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials, superpolynomials, and newly introduced $\widehat{Z}$ invariants for some knot complements, from an appropriate rewriting, quantization and deformation of Alexander polynomial. Along this route we rederive conjectural expressions for the above mentioned invariants for various knots obtained recently, thereby proving their consistency with the Melvin-Morton-Roz…
A group-theoretical structure in a perturbative expansion of the Wilson loops in the 3d Chern-Simons theory with $SU(N)$ gauge group is studied in symmetric approach. A special basis in the center of the universal enveloping algebra $ZU(\mathfrak{sl}_N)$ is introduced. This basis allows one to present group factors in an arbitrary irreducible finite-dimensional representation. Developed methods have wide applications, the most straightforward and evident ones are mentioned. Namely, Vassiliev invariants of higher orders are computed, a conjecture about existence of new symmetries of the colored…
We discuss the relation between knot polynomials and the KP hierarchy. Mainly, we study the scaling 1-hook property of the coloured Alexander polynomial: $\mathcal{A}^\mathcal{K}_R(q)=\mathcal{A}^\mathcal{K}_{[1]}(q^{\vert R\vert})$ for all 1-hook Young diagrams $R$. Via the Kontsevich construction, it is reformulated as a system of linear equations. It appears that the solutions of this system induce the KP equations in the Hirota form. The Alexander polynomial is a specialization of the HOMFLY polynomial, and it is a kind of a dual to the double scaling limit, which gives the special polynom…
This paper investigates the relation between colored HOMFLY-PT and Kauffman homology, $\text{SO}(N)$ quantum $6j$-symbols and $(a,t)$-deformed $F_K$. First, we present a simple rule of grading change which allows us to obtain the $[r]$-colored quadruply-graded Kauffman homology from the $[r^2]$-colored quadruply-graded HOMFLY-PT homology for thin knots. This rule stems from the isomorphism of the representations $(\mathfrak{so}_6,[r]) \cong (\mathfrak{sl}_4,[r^2])$. Also, we find the relationship among $A$-polynomials of SO and SU-type coming from a differential on Kauffman homology. Second, w…
We investigate possibilities of generalizing the TBEM eigenvalue matrix model, which represents the non-normalized colored HOMFLY polynomials for torus knots as averages of the corresponding characters. We look for a model of the same type, which is a usual Chern-Simons mixture of the Gaussian potential, typical for Hermitean models, and the sine Vandermonde factors, typical for the unitary ones. We mostly concentrate on the family of twist knots, which contains a single torus knot, the trefoil. It turns out that for the trefoil the TBEM measure is provided by an action of Laplace exponential …
Knot theory is actively studied both by physicists and mathematicians as it provides a connecting centerpiece for many physical and mathematical theories. One of the challenging problems in knot theory is distinguishing mutant knots. Mutant knots are not distinguished by colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials for knots colored by either symmetric and or antisymmetric representations of $SU(N)$. Some of the mutant knots can be distinguished by the simplest non-symmetric representation $[2,1]$. However there is a class of mutant knots which require more complex representations like $[4,2]$. In this paper…
An elementary introduction to knot theory and its link to quantum field theory is presented with an intention to provide details of some basic calculations in the subject, which are not easily found in texts. Study of Chern-Simons theory with gauge group $\mathcal{G}$, along with the Wilson lines carrying some representation is explained in generality, and a vital calculation of the Chern-Simons propagator is done. Explicit calculation for $U(1)$ Chern-Simons theory is presented, which leads to the topological invariants, and finally to knot invariants. Further, using this result along with th…
We prove that the generating functions for the one row/column colored HOMFLY-PT invariants of arborescent links are specializations of the generating functions of the motivic Donaldson-Thomas invariants of appropriate quivers that we naturally associate with these links. Our approach extends the previously established tangles-quivers correspondence for rational tangles to algebraic tangles by developing gluing formulas for HOMFLY-PT skein generating functions under Conway's tangle addition. As a consequence, we prove the conjectural links-quivers correspondence of Kucharski-Reineke-Stošić-Sulk…
