For a group G, the notion of a ribbon G-category was introduced by the second author in a previous work with a view towards constructing 3-dimensional homotopy quantum field theories (HQFT's) with target K(G,1). We discuss here how to derive ribbon G-categories from a simple complex Lie algebra g where G is the center of g. The construction is based on a study of representations of the quantum group $U_q(g)$ at a root of unity. Under certain assumptions on the root of unity, the resulting G-categories give rise to numerical invariants of pairs (a closed oriented 3-manifold M, an element of $H^1(M;G)$) and to 3-dimensional HQFT's.
We consider two approaches to isotopy invariants of oriented links: one from ribbon categories and the other from generalized Yang-Baxter operators with appropriate enhancements. The generalized Yang-Baxter operators we consider are obtained from so-called gYBE objects following a procedure of Kitaev and Wang. We show that the enhancement of these generalized Yang-Baxter operators is canonically related to the twist structure in ribbon categories from which the operators are produced. If a generalized Yang-Baxter operator is obtained from a ribbon category, it is reasonable to expect that two …
We introduce quantum skein relations for a family of ribbon categories parametrised by the projective plane over $\bQ$. There are thirteen points for which the ribbon category admits a ribbon functor to a category of invariant tensors for a quantised enveloping algebra. These thirteen points lie on three projective lines. One line gives the first row of the Freudenthal magic square and another gives the fourth row which is the exceptional series.
We define notions of pivotal and ribbon objects in a monoidal category. These constructions give pivotal or ribbon monoidal categories from a monoidal category which is not necessarily with duals. We apply this construction to the braided monoidal category of Yetter--Drinfeld modules over a Hopf algebra. This gives rise to the notion of ribbon Yetter--Drinfeld modules over a Hopf algebra, which form ribbon categories. This gives an invariant of tangles.
We construct two non-semisimple braided ribbon tensor categories of modules for each singlet vertex operator algebra $\mathcal{M}(p)$, $p\geq 2$. The first category consists of all finite-length $\mathcal{M}(p)$-modules with atypical composition factors, while the second is the subcategory of modules that induce to local modules for the triplet vertex operator algebra $\mathcal{W}(p)$. We show that every irreducible module has a projective cover in the second of these categories, although not in the first, and we compute all fusion products involving atypical irreducible modules and their proj…
Let $\mathfrak u$ be a compact semisimple Lie algebra, and $σ$ be a Lie algebra involution of $\mathfrak u$. Let Rep$_q(\mathfrak u)$ be the ribbon braided tensor C*-category of $U_q(\mathfrak u)$-representations for $0<q<1$. We introduce three module C*-categories over Rep$_q(\mathfrak u)$ starting from the input data $(\mathfrak u,σ)$. The first construction is based on the theory of cyclotomic KZ-equations. The second construction uses the notion of quantum symmetric pair as developed by G. Letzter. The third construction uses a variation of Drinfeld twisting. In all three cases the module …
We consider two families of categories. The first is the family of semisimple quotients of H. Andersen's tilting module categories for quantum groups of Lie type $B$ specialized at odd roots of unity. The second consists of categories constructed from a particular family of finite-dimensional quotients of the group algebra of Artin's braid group known as $BMW$-algebras of type $BC$. Our main result is to show that these families coincide as braided tensor categories using a recent theorem of Tuba and Wenzl. The morphism spaces in these categories can be equipped with a Hermitian form, and we a…
A category N of labeled (oriented) trivalent graphs (nets) or ribbon graphs is extended by new generators called fusing, braiding, twist and switch with relations which can be called Moore--Seiberg relations. A functor to N is constructed from the category Surf of oriented surfaces with labeled boundary and their homeomorphisms. Given an (eventually non-semisimple) k-linear abelian ribbon braided category C with some finiteness conditions we construct a functor from a central extension of N with the set of labels ObC to k-vector spaces. Composing the functors we get a modular functor from a ce…
Inspired by quantum information theory, we look for representations of the braid groups $B_n$ on $V^{\otimes (n+m-2)}$ for some fixed vector space $V$ such that each braid generator $σ_i, i=1,...,n-1,$ acts on $m$ consecutive tensor factors from $i$ through $i+m-1$. The braid relation for $m=2$ is essentially the Yang-Baxter equation, and the cases for $m>2$ are called generalized Yang-Baxter equations. We observe that certain objects in ribbon fusion categories naturally give rise to such representations for the case $m=3$. Examples are given from the Ising theory (or the closely related $SU(…
A Morita class of symmetric special Frobenius algebras A in the modular tensor category of a chiral CFT determines a full CFT on oriented world sheets. For unoriented world sheets, A must in addition possess a reversion, i.e. an isomorphism from A^opp to A squaring to the twist. Any two reversions of an algebra A differ by an element of the group Aut(A) of algebra automorphisms of A. We establish a group homomorphism from Aut(A) to the Picard group of the bimodule category C_AA, with kernel consisting of the inner automorphisms, and we refine Morita equivalence to an equivalence relation betwe…
We develop the general theory for the construction of Extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (ETQFTs) associated with the Costantino-Geer-Patureau quantum invariants of closed 3-manifolds. In order to do so, we introduce relative modular categories, a class of ribbon categories which are modeled on representations of unrolled quantum groups, and which can be thought of as a non-semisimple analogue to modular categories. Our approach exploits a 2-categorical version of the universal construction introduced by Blanchet, Habegger, Masbaum, and Vogel. The 1+1+1-EQFTs thus obtained are realize…
Huang, Lepowsky and Zhang have developed a module theory for vertex operator algebras that endows suitably chosen module categories with the structure of braided monoidal categories. Included in the theory is a functor which assigns to discretely strongly graded modules a contragredient module, obtained as a gradewise dual. In this paper, we show that this gradewise dual endows the module category with the structure of a ribbon Grothendieck-Verdier category. This duality structure is more general than that of a rigid monoidal category; in contrast to rigidity, it naturally accommodates the fac…
By studying ``points of the underlying quantum groups''of coquasitriangular Hopf (face) algebras, we construct ribbon categories for each lattice models without spectral parameter of both vertex and face type. Also, we give a classification of the braiding and the ribbon structure on quantized classical groups and modular tensor categories closely related to quantum SU(N)_L-invariants of 3-manifolds.
We show that the category of finite-length generalized modules for the singlet vertex algebra $\mathcal{M}(p)$, $p\in\mathbb{Z}_{>1}$, is equal to the category $\mathcal{O}_{\mathcal{M}(p)}$ of $C_1$-cofinite $\mathcal{M}(p)$-modules, and that this category admits the vertex algebraic braided tensor category structure of Huang-Lepowsky-Zhang. Since $\mathcal{O}_{\mathcal{M}(p)}$ includes the uncountably many typical $\mathcal{M}(p)$-modules, which are simple $\mathcal{M}(p)$-module structures on Heisenberg Fock modules, our results substantially extend our previous work on tensor categories of…
The ribbon cocycle invariant is defined by means of a partition function using ternary cohomology of self-distributive structures (TSD) and colorings of ribbon diagrams of a framed link, following the same paradigm introduced by Carter, Jelsovsky, Kamada, Langfor and Saito in Transactions of the American Mathematical Society 2003;355(10):3947-89, for the quandle cocycle invariant. In this article we show that the ribbon cocycle invariant is a quantum invariant. We do so by constructing a ribbon category from a TSD set whose twisting and braiding morphisms entail a given TSD $2$-cocycle. Then w…
We show that the renormalized quantum invariants of links and graphs in the 3-sphere, derived from tensor categories in ["Modified quantum dimensions and re-normalized link invariants", arXiv:0711.4229] lead to modified 6j-symbols and to new state sum 3-manifold invariants. We give examples of categories such that the associated standard Turaev-Viro 3-manifold invariants vanish but the secondary invariants may be non-zero. The categories in these examples are pivotal categories which are neither ribbon nor semi-simple and have an infinite number of simple objects.
This expository article supplies the mathematical background underpinning the braid representation calculator introduced in arXiv:2212.00831; those representations describe the sets of logic gates available to a topological quantum computer for processing encoded qubits. Assuming little background in category theory, we first recall the notion of a ribbon fusion category (RFC), collecting most of the necessary definitions. Then we discuss how certain RFCs arise from the representation theory of quantum groups. We explore the braiding in these categories in detail, since it is essential for the…
We define a category $v\mathcal{T}$ of tangles diagrams drawn on surfaces with boundaries. On the one hand we show that there is a natural functor from the category of virtual tangles to $v\mathcal{T}$ which induces an equivalence of categories. On the other hand, we show that $v\mathcal{T}$ is universal among ribbon categories equipped with a strong monoidal functor to a symmetric monoidal category. This is a generalization of the Shum-Reshetikhin-Turaev theorem characterizing the category of ordinary tangles as the free ribbon category. This gives a straightforward proof that all quantum inv…
We use categories of representations of finite dimensional quantum groupoids (weak Hopf algebras) to construct ribbon and modular categories that give rise to invariants of knots and 3-manifolds.
In this paper we construct invariants of 3-manifolds "à la Reshetikhin-Turaev" in the setting of non-semi-simple ribbon tensor categories. We give concrete examples of such categories which lead to a family of 3-manifold invariants indexed by the integers. We prove this family of invariants has several notable features, including: they can be computed via a set of axioms, they distinguish homotopically equivalent manifolds that the standard Reshetikhin-Turaev-Witten invariants do not, and they allow the statement of a version of the Volume Conjecture and a proof of this conjecture for an infin…
We review the properties of quantum groups occurring as Kazhdan--Lusztig dual to logarithmic conformal field theory models. These quantum groups at even roots of unity are not quasitriangular but are factorizable and have a ribbon structure; the modular group representation on their center coincides with the representation on generalized characters of the chiral algebra in logarithmic conformal field models.
Given a positive integer $n$, we say that two knots are $V_n$-equivalent if they have the same Vassiliev invariants of order $\le n$. We showed that the $V_n$-equivalence classes of ribbon knots form a group, the operation being induced by the connected sums of knots. The group is free abelian and its rank is equal to the dimension of the space of primitive Vassiliev invariants of order $\le n$. The $n$-equivalence classes (following Gusarov's notion) of ribbon knots also constitute a group. As a corollary, any non-ribbon knot whose Arf invariant istrivial cannot be distinguished from ribbon k…
We use modified traces to renormalize Lyubashenko's closed 3-manifold invariants coming from twist non-degenerate finite unimodular ribbon categories. Our construction produces new topological invariants which we upgrade to 2+1-TQFTs under the additional assumption of factorizability. The resulting functors provide monoidal extensions of Lyubashenko's mapping class group representations, as discussed in arXiv:2010.14852. This general framework encompasses important examples of non-semisimple modular categories coming from the representation theory of quasi-Hopf algebras, which were left out of…
Unitary fusion categories (UFCs) have gained increased attention due to emerging connections with quantum physics. We consider a fusion rule of the form $q\otimes q \cong \mathbf{1}\oplus\bigoplus^k_{i=1}x_{i}$ in a UFC $\mathcal{C}$, and extract information using the graphical calculus. For instance, we classify all associated skein relations when $k=1,2$ and $\mathcal{C}$ is ribbon. In particular, we also consider the instances where $q$ is antisymmetrically self-dual. Our main results follow from considering the action of a rotation operator on a "canonical basis". Assuming self-duality of …
The second author constructed a topological ribbon Hopf algebra from the unrolled quantum group associated with the super Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}(2|1)$. We generalize this fact to the context of unrolled quantum groups and construct the associated topological ribbon Hopf algebras. Then we use such an algebra, the discrete Fourier transforms, a symmetrized graded integral and a modified trace to define a modified graded Hennings invariant. Finally, we use the notion of a modified integral to extend this invariant to empty manifolds and show that it recovers the CGP-invariant.
We classify indecomposable commutative separable (special Frobenius) algebras and their local modules in (untwisted) group-theoretical modular categories. This gives a description of modular invariants for group-theoretical modular data. As a bi-product we provide an answer to the question when (and in how many ways) two group-theoretical modular categories are equivalent as ribbon categories.
Ribbon categories of weight modules for affine $\mathfrak{sl}_2$ at admissible levels
Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg（埃尔朗根-纽伦堡大学）；Yau Mathematical Sciences Center, Tsinghua University（清华大学丘成桐数学科学中心）；School of Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University（上海交通大学数学科学学院）
A heap is a set with a certain ternary operation that is self-distributive (TSD) and exemplified by a group with the operation $(x,y,z)\mapsto xy^{-1}z$. We introduce and investigate framed link invariants using heaps. In analogy with the knot group, we define the fundamental heap of framed links using group presentations. The fundamental heap is determined for some classes of links such as certain families of torus and pretzel links. We show that for these families of links there exist epimorphisms from fundamental heaps to Vinberg and Coxeter groups, implying that corresponding groups are in…
We show that the non-trivially associated tensor category constructed from left coset representatives of a subgroup of a finite group is a modular category. Also we give a definition of the character of an object in a ribbon category which is the category of representations of a braided Hopf algebra in the category. The definition is shown to be adjoint invariant and multiplicative. A detailed example is given. Finally we show an equivalence of categories between the non-trivially associated double D and the category of representations of the double of the group D(X).
Based on a weak action of a finite group J on a finite group G, we present a geometric construction of J-equivariant Dijkgraaf-Witten theory as an extended topological field theory. The construction yields an explicitly accessible class of equivariant modular tensor categories. For the action of a group J on a group G, the category is described as the representation category of a J-ribbon algebra that generalizes the Drinfel'd double of the finite group G.
We prove there is an equivalence of ribbon categories between a category introduced by Turaev whose morphisms are planar diagrams and a full subcategory of the category of finite-dimensional modules over U_q(sl_2).
Let $U_q(\mathfrak{g})$ be the quantum supergroup of $\mathfrak{gl}_{m|n}$ or the modified quantum supergroup of $osp_{m|2n}$ over the field of rational functions in $q$, and let $V_q$ be the natural module for $U_q(\mathfrak{g})$. There exists a unique tensor functor, associated with $V_q$, from the category of ribbon graphs to the category of finite dimensional representations of $U_q(\mathfrak{g}$, which preserves ribbon category structures. We show that this functor is full in the cases $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{gl}_{m|n}$ or $osp_{2\ell+1|2n}$. For $\mathfrak{g}=osp_{2\ell|2n}$, we show tha…
We use factorizable finite tensor categories, and specifically the representation categories of factorizable ribbon Hopf algebras H, as a laboratory for exploring bulk correlation functions in local logarithmic conformal field theories. For any ribbon Hopf algebra automorphism omega of H we present a candidate for the space of bulk fields and endow it with a natural structure of a commutative symmetric Frobenius algebra. We derive an expression for the corresponding bulk partition functions as bilinear combinations of irreducible characters; as a crucial ingredient this involves the Cartan mat…
For certain roots of unity, we consider the categories of weight modules over three quantum groups: small, un-restricted and unrolled. The first main theorem of this paper is to show that there is a modified trace on the projective modules of the first two categories. The second main theorem is to show that category over the unrolled quantum group is ribbon. Partial results related to these theorems were known previously.
We show that every modular category is equivalent as an additive ribbon category to the category of finite-dimensional comodules of a Weak Hopf Algebra. This Weak Hopf Algebra is finite-dimensional, split cosemisimple, weakly cofactorizable, coribbon and has trivially intersecting base algebras. In order to arrive at this characterization of modular categories, we develop a generalization of Tannaka-Krein reconstruction to the long version of the canonical forgetful functor which is lax and oplax monoidal, but not in general strong monoidal, thereby avoiding all the difficulties related to non…
We provide a necessary and sufficient condition for a simple object in a pivotal k-category to be ambidextrous. In turn, these objects imply the existence of nontrivial trace functions in the category. These functions play an important role in low-dimensional topology as well as in studying the category itself. In particular, we prove they exist for factorizable ribbon Hopf algebras, modular representations of finite groups and their quantum doubles, complex and modular Lie (super)algebras, the $(1,p)$ minimal model in conformal field theory, and quantum groups at a root of unity.
We study braided Hochschild and cyclic homology of ribbon algebras in braided monoidal categories, as introduced by Baez and by Akrami and Majid. We compute this invariant for several examples coming from quantum groups and braided groups.
It has been shown in previous work that the modular group acts projectively on the center of a factorizable ribbon Hopf algebra. The center is the zeroth Hochschild cohomology group. In this article, we extend this projective action of the modular group to an arbitrary Hochschild cohomology group of a factorizable ribbon Hopf algebra, in fact up to homotopy even to a projective action on the entire Hochschild cochain complex.
We construct families of commutative (super) algebra objects in the category of weight modules for the unrolled restricted quantum group $\overline{U}_q^H(\mfg)$ of a simple Lie algebra $\mfg$ at roots of unity, and study their categories of local modules. We determine their simple modules and derive conditions for these categories being finite, non-degenerate, and ribbon. Motivated by numerous examples in the $\mfg=\mathfrak{sl}_2$ case, we expect some of these categories to compare nicely to categories of modules for vertex operator algebras. We focus in particular on examples expected to co…
Lyubashenko's construction associates representations of mapping class groups Map_{g,n} of Riemann surfaces of any genus g with any number n of holes to a factorizable ribbon category. We consider this construction as applied to the category of bimodules over a finite-dimensional factorizable ribbon Hopf algebra H. For any such Hopf algebra we find an invariant of Map_{g,n} for all values of g and n. More generally, we obtain such invariants for any pair (H,omega), where omega is a ribbon automorphism of H. Our results are motivated by the quest to understand correlation functions of bulk fiel…
It is well known that braided monoidal categories are the categorical algebras of the little two-dimensional disks operad. We introduce involutive little disks operads, which are Z/2Z-orbifold versions of the little disks operads. We classify their categorical algebras and describe these explicitly in terms of a finite list of functors, natural isomorphisms and coherence equations. In dimension two, the categorical algebras are braided monoidal categories with an anti-involution together with a pointed module category carrying a universal solution to the (twisted) reflection equation. Main exa…
We introduce the notion of a relative spherical category. We prove that such a category gives rise to the generalized Kashaev and Turaev-Viro-type 3-manifold invariants defined in arXiv:1008.3103 and arXiv:0910.1624, respectively. In this case we show that these invariants are equal and extend to what we call a relative Homotopy Quantum Field Theory which is a branch of the Topological Quantum Field Theory founded by E. Witten and M. Atiyah. Our main examples of relative spherical categories are the categories of finite dimensional weight modules over non-restricted quantum groups considered b…
