An Introduction to Quantum and Vassiliev Knot Invariants

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3030052133
Total Pages : 422 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (3 download)

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Book Synopsis An Introduction to Quantum and Vassiliev Knot Invariants by : David M. Jackson

Download or read book An Introduction to Quantum and Vassiliev Knot Invariants written by David M. Jackson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-04 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an accessible introduction to knot theory, focussing on Vassiliev invariants, quantum knot invariants constructed via representations of quantum groups, and how these two apparently distinct theories come together through the Kontsevich invariant. Consisting of four parts, the book opens with an introduction to the fundamentals of knot theory, and to knot invariants such as the Jones polynomial. The second part introduces quantum invariants of knots, working constructively from first principles towards the construction of Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants and a description of how these arise through Drinfeld and Jimbo's quantum groups. Its third part offers an introduction to Vassiliev invariants, providing a careful account of how chord diagrams and Jacobi diagrams arise in the theory, and the role that Lie algebras play. The final part of the book introduces the Konstevich invariant. This is a universal quantum invariant and a universal Vassiliev invariant, and brings together these two seemingly different families of knot invariants. The book provides a detailed account of the construction of the Jones polynomial via the quantum groups attached to sl(2), the Vassiliev weight system arising from sl(2), and how these invariants come together through the Kontsevich invariant.

Introduction to Vassiliev Knot Invariants

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107020832
Total Pages : 521 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis Introduction to Vassiliev Knot Invariants by : S. Chmutov

Download or read book Introduction to Vassiliev Knot Invariants written by S. Chmutov and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-05-24 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A detailed exposition of the theory with an emphasis on its combinatorial aspects.

Quantum Invariants

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9789812811172
Total Pages : 516 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (111 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Invariants by : Tomotada Ohtsuki

Download or read book Quantum Invariants written by Tomotada Ohtsuki and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2002 with total page 516 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an extensive and self-contained presentation of quantum and related invariants of knots and 3-manifolds. Polynomial invariants of knots, such as the Jones and Alexander polynomials, are constructed as quantum invariants, i.e. invariants derived from representations of quantum groups and from the monodromy of solutions to the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation. With the introduction of the Kontsevich invariant and the theory of Vassiliev invariants, the quantum invariants become well-organized. Quantum and perturbative invariants, the LMO invariant, and finite type invariants of 3-manifolds are discussed. The ChernOCoSimons field theory and the WessOCoZuminoOCoWitten model are described as the physical background of the invariants. Contents: Knots and Polynomial Invariants; Braids and Representations of the Braid Groups; Operator Invariants of Tangles via Sliced Diagrams; Ribbon Hopf Algebras and Invariants of Links; Monodromy Representations of the Braid Groups Derived from the KnizhnikOCoZamolodchikov Equation; The Kontsevich Invariant; Vassiliev Invariants; Quantum Invariants of 3-Manifolds; Perturbative Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds; The LMO Invariant; Finite Type Invariants of Integral Homology 3-Spheres. Readership: Researchers, lecturers and graduate students in geometry, topology and mathematical physics."

Knot Theory and Its Applications

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0817647198
Total Pages : 348 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (176 download)

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Book Synopsis Knot Theory and Its Applications by : Kunio Murasugi

Download or read book Knot Theory and Its Applications written by Kunio Murasugi and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-12-29 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book introduces the study of knots, providing insights into recent applications in DNA research and graph theory. It sets forth fundamental facts such as knot diagrams, braid representations, Seifert surfaces, tangles, and Alexander polynomials. It also covers more recent developments and special topics, such as chord diagrams and covering spaces. The author avoids advanced mathematical terminology and intricate techniques in algebraic topology and group theory. Numerous diagrams and exercises help readers understand and apply the theory. Each chapter includes a supplement with interesting historical and mathematical comments.

Knots and Physics

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Author :
Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9810241119
Total Pages : 788 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (12 download)

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Book Synopsis Knots and Physics by : Louis H. Kauffman

Download or read book Knots and Physics written by Louis H. Kauffman and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2001 with total page 788 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This invaluable book is an introduction to knot and link invariants as generalised amplitudes for a quasi-physical process. The demands of knot theory, coupled with a quantum-statistical framework, create a context that naturally and powerfully includes a extraordinary range of interrelated topics in topology and mathematical physics. The author takes a primarily combinatorial stance toward knot theory and its relations with these subjects. This stance has the advantage of providing direct access to the algebra and to the combinatorial topology, as well as physical ideas. The book is divided into two parts: Part I is a systematic course on knots and physics starting from the ground up, and Part II is a set of lectures on various topics related to Part I. Part II includes topics such as frictional properties of knots, relations with combinatorics, and knots in dynamical systems. In this third edition, a paper by the author entitled "Functional Integration and Vassiliev invariants" has been added. This paper shows how the Kontsevich integral approach to the Vassiliev invariants is directly related to the perturbative expansion of Witten's functional integral. While the book supplies the background, this paper can be read independently as an introduction to quantum field theory and knot invariants and their relation to quantum gravity. As in the second edition, there is a selection of papers by the author at the end of the book. Numerous clarifying remarks have been added to the text.

Quantum Groups and Knot Invariants

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9782856290552
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (95 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Groups and Knot Invariants by : Christian Kassel

Download or read book Quantum Groups and Knot Invariants written by Christian Kassel and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a concise introduction to quantum groups, braided monoidal categories and quantum invariants of knots and of three-dimensional manifolds. The exposition emphasizes the newly discovered deep relationships between these areas.

Knots, Links, Braids, and 3-manifolds

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Author :
Publisher : American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN 13 : 0821808982
Total Pages : 239 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (218 download)

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Book Synopsis Knots, Links, Braids, and 3-manifolds by : V. V. Prasolov

Download or read book Knots, Links, Braids, and 3-manifolds written by V. V. Prasolov and published by American Mathematical Soc.. This book was released on 1997 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an introduction to the remarkable work of Vaughan Jones and Victor Vassiliev on knot and link invariants and its recent modifications and generalizations, including a mathematical treatment of Jones-Witten invariants. It emphasizes the geometric aspects of the theory and treats topics such as braids, homeomorphisms of surfaces, surgery of 3-manifolds (Kirby calculus), and branched coverings. This attractive geometric material, interesting in itself yet not previously gathered in book form, constitutes the basis of the last two chapters, where the Jones-Witten invariants are constructed via the rigorous skein algebra approach (mainly due to the Saint Petersburg school). Unlike several recent monographs, where all of these invariants are introduced by using the sophisticated abstract algebra of quantum groups and representation theory, the mathematical prerequisites are minimal in this book. Numerous figures and problems make it suitable as a course text and for self-study.

Quantum Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds

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Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN 13 : 3110435225
Total Pages : 608 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (14 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds by : Vladimir G. Turaev

Download or read book Quantum Invariants of Knots and 3-Manifolds written by Vladimir G. Turaev and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2016-07-11 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to the strong appeal and wide use of this monograph, it is now available in its third revised edition. The monograph gives a systematic treatment of 3-dimensional topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) based on the work of the author with N. Reshetikhin and O. Viro. This subject was inspired by the discovery of the Jones polynomial of knots and the Witten-Chern-Simons field theory. On the algebraic side, the study of 3-dimensional TQFTs has been influenced by the theory of braided categories and the theory of quantum groups.The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a construction of 3-dimensional TQFTs and 2-dimensional modular functors from so-called modular categories. This gives a vast class of knot invariants and 3-manifold invariants as well as a class of linear representations of the mapping class groups of surfaces. In Part II the technique of 6j-symbols is used to define state sum invariants of 3-manifolds. Their relation to the TQFTs constructed in Part I is established via the theory of shadows. Part III provides constructions of modular categories, based on quantum groups and skein modules of tangles in the 3-space.This fundamental contribution to topological quantum field theory is accessible to graduate students in mathematics and physics with knowledge of basic algebra and topology. It is an indispensable source for everyone who wishes to enter the forefront of this fascinating area at the borderline of mathematics and physics. Contents:Invariants of graphs in Euclidean 3-space and of closed 3-manifoldsFoundations of topological quantum field theoryThree-dimensional topological quantum field theoryTwo-dimensional modular functors6j-symbolsSimplicial state sums on 3-manifoldsShadows of manifolds and state sums on shadowsConstructions of modular categories

Introductory Lectures on Knot Theory

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814313009
Total Pages : 577 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (143 download)

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Book Synopsis Introductory Lectures on Knot Theory by : Louis H. Kauffman

Download or read book Introductory Lectures on Knot Theory written by Louis H. Kauffman and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2012 with total page 577 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More recently, Khovanov introduced link homology as a generalization of the Jones polynomial to homology of chain complexes and Ozsvath and Szabo developed Heegaard-Floer homology, that lifts the Alexander polynomial. These two significantly different theories are closely related and the dependencies are the object of intensive study. These ideas mark the beginning of a new era in knot theory that includes relationships with four-dimensional problems and the creation of new forms of algebraic topology relevant to knot theory. The theory of skein modules is an older development also having its roots in Jones discovery. Another significant and related development is the theory of virtual knots originated independently by Kauffman and by Goussarov Polyak and Viro in the '90s. All these topics and their relationships are the subject of the survey papers in this book.

Graphs on Surfaces and Their Applications

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3540383611
Total Pages : 455 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (43 download)

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Book Synopsis Graphs on Surfaces and Their Applications by : Sergei K. Lando

Download or read book Graphs on Surfaces and Their Applications written by Sergei K. Lando and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Graphs drawn on two-dimensional surfaces have always attracted researchers by their beauty and by the variety of difficult questions to which they give rise. The theory of such embedded graphs, which long seemed rather isolated, has witnessed the appearance of entirely unexpected new applications in recent decades, ranging from Galois theory to quantum gravity models, and has become a kind of a focus of a vast field of research. The book provides an accessible introduction to this new domain, including such topics as coverings of Riemann surfaces, the Galois group action on embedded graphs (Grothendieck's theory of "dessins d'enfants"), the matrix integral method, moduli spaces of curves, the topology of meromorphic functions, and combinatorial aspects of Vassiliev's knot invariants and, in an appendix by Don Zagier, the use of finite group representation theory. The presentation is concrete throughout, with numerous figures, examples (including computer calculations) and exercises, and should appeal to both graduate students and researchers.

Knots and Feynman Diagrams

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521587617
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (876 download)

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Book Synopsis Knots and Feynman Diagrams by : Dirk Kreimer

Download or read book Knots and Feynman Diagrams written by Dirk Kreimer and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2000-07-20 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explains how knot theory and Feynman diagrams can be used to illuminate problems in quantum field theory. The author emphasizes how new discoveries in mathematics have inspired conventional calculational methods for perturbative quantum field theory to become more elegant and potentially more powerful methods. The material illustrates what may possibly be the most productive interface between mathematics and physics. As a result, it will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in theoretical and particle physics as well as mathematics.

Knots and Physics

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814502375
Total Pages : 740 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (145 download)

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Book Synopsis Knots and Physics by : Louis H Kauffman

Download or read book Knots and Physics written by Louis H Kauffman and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 1994-01-15 with total page 740 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this second edition, the following recent papers have been added: “Gauss Codes, Quantum Groups and Ribbon Hopf Algebras”, “Spin Networks, Topology and Discrete Physics”, “Link Polynomials and a Graphical Calculus” and “Knots Tangles and Electrical Networks”. An appendix with a discussion on invariants of embedded graphs and Vassiliev invariants has also been included. This book is an introduction to knot and link invariants as generalized amplitudes (vacuum–vacuum amplitudes) for a quasi-physical process. The demands of knot theory, coupled with a quantum statistical framework, create a context that naturally and powerfully includes an extraordinary range of interrelated topics in topology and mathematical physics. The author takes a primarily combinatorial stance toward knot theory and its relations with these subjects. This has the advantage of providing very direct access to the algebra and to the combinatorial topology, as well as the physical ideas. This book is divided into 2 parts: Part I of the book is a systematic course in knots and physics starting from the ground up. Part II is a set of lectures on various topics related to and sometimes based on Part I. Part II also explores some side-topics such as frictional properties of knots, relations with combinatorics and knots in dynamical systems. Contents:Physical KnotsStates and the Bracket PolynomialThe Jones Polynomial and Its GeneralizationsBraids and the Jones PolynomialFormal Feynman Diagrams, Bracket as a Vacuum-Vacuum Expectation and the Quantum Group SL(2)qYang-Baxter Models for Specializations of the Homfly PolynomialThe Alexander PolynomialKnot-Crystals — Classical Knot Theory in Modern GuiseThe Kauffman PolynomialThree Manifold Invariants from the Jones PolynomialIntegral Heuristics and Witten' s InvariantsThe Chromatic PolynomialThe Potts Model and the Dichromatic PolynomialThe Penrose Theory of Spin NetworksKnots and Strings — Knotted StringsDNA and Quantum Field TheoryKnots in Dynamical Systems — The Lorenz Attractorand other papers Readership: Physicists, mathematical physicists and mathematicians. keywords: Reviews of the First Edition: “It is an attractive book for physicists with profuse and often entertaining illustrations … proofs … seldom heavy and nearly always well explained with pictures… succeeds in infusing his own excitement and enthusiasm for these discoveries and their potential implications.” Physics Today “… here is a gold mine where, with care and patience, one should get acquainted with a beautiful subject under the guidance of a most original and imaginative mind.” Mathematical Reviews

An Invitation to Knot Theory

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Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1315360098
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (153 download)

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Book Synopsis An Invitation to Knot Theory by : Heather A. Dye

Download or read book An Invitation to Knot Theory written by Heather A. Dye and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Only Undergraduate Textbook to Teach Both Classical and Virtual Knot Theory An Invitation to Knot Theory: Virtual and Classical gives advanced undergraduate students a gentle introduction to the field of virtual knot theory and mathematical research. It provides the foundation for students to research knot theory and read journal articles on their own. Each chapter includes numerous examples, problems, projects, and suggested readings from research papers. The proofs are written as simply as possible using combinatorial approaches, equivalence classes, and linear algebra. The text begins with an introduction to virtual knots and counted invariants. It then covers the normalized f-polynomial (Jones polynomial) and other skein invariants before discussing algebraic invariants, such as the quandle and biquandle. The book concludes with two applications of virtual knots: textiles and quantum computation.

Encyclopedia of Knot Theory

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1000222381
Total Pages : 954 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Encyclopedia of Knot Theory by : Colin Adams

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Knot Theory written by Colin Adams and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-02-10 with total page 954 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Knot theory is a fascinating mathematical subject, with multiple links to theoretical physics. This enyclopedia is filled with valuable information on a rich and fascinating subject." – Ed Witten, Recipient of the Fields Medal "I spent a pleasant afternoon perusing the Encyclopedia of Knot Theory. It’s a comprehensive compilation of clear introductions to both classical and very modern developments in the field. It will be a terrific resource for the accomplished researcher, and will also be an excellent way to lure students, both graduate and undergraduate, into the field." – Abigail Thompson, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at University of California, Davis Knot theory has proven to be a fascinating area of mathematical research, dating back about 150 years. Encyclopedia of Knot Theory provides short, interconnected articles on a variety of active areas in knot theory, and includes beautiful pictures, deep mathematical connections, and critical applications. Many of the articles in this book are accessible to undergraduates who are working on research or taking an advanced undergraduate course in knot theory. More advanced articles will be useful to graduate students working on a related thesis topic, to researchers in another area of topology who are interested in current results in knot theory, and to scientists who study the topology and geometry of biopolymers. Features Provides material that is useful and accessible to undergraduates, postgraduates, and full-time researchers Topics discussed provide an excellent catalyst for students to explore meaningful research and gain confidence and commitment to pursuing advanced degrees Edited and contributed by top researchers in the field of knot theory

Virtual Knots

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814401137
Total Pages : 553 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (144 download)

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Book Synopsis Virtual Knots by : Vasilii Olegovich Manturov

Download or read book Virtual Knots written by Vasilii Olegovich Manturov and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2012 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is the first systematic research completely devoted to a comprehensive study of virtual knots and classical knots as its integral part. The book is self-contained and contains up-to-date exposition of the key aspects of virtual (and classical) knot theory.Virtual knots were discovered by Louis Kauffman in 1996. When virtual knot theory arose, it became clear that classical knot theory was a small integral part of a larger theory, and studying properties of virtual knots helped one understand better some aspects of classical knot theory and encouraged the study of further problems. Virtual knot theory finds its applications in classical knot theory. Virtual knot theory occupies an intermediate position between the theory of knots in arbitrary three-manifold and classical knot theory.In this book we present the latest achievements in virtual knot theory including Khovanov homology theory and parity theory due to V O Manturov and graph-link theory due to both authors. By means of parity, one can construct functorial mappings from knots to knots, filtrations on the space of knots, refine many invariants and prove minimality of many series of knot diagrams.Graph-links can be treated as OC diagramless knot theoryOCO: such OC linksOCO have crossings, but they do not have arcs connecting these crossings. It turns out, however, that to graph-links one can extend many methods of classical and virtual knot theories, in particular, the Khovanov homology and the parity theory.

Random Knotting and Linking

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Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814501425
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (145 download)

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Book Synopsis Random Knotting and Linking by : K C Millett

Download or read book Random Knotting and Linking written by K C Millett and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 1994-12-09 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume includes both rigorous asymptotic results on the inevitability of random knotting and linking, and Monte Carlo simulations of knot probability at small lengths. The statistical mechanics and topology of surfaces on the d-dimensional simple cubic lattice are investigated. The energy of knots is studied both analytically and numerically. Vassiliev invariants are investigated and used in random knot simulations. A mutation scheme which leaves the Jones polynomial unaltered is described. Applications include the investigation of RNA secondary structure using Vassiliev invariants, and the direct experimental measurement of DNA knot probability as a function of salt concentration in random cyclization experiments on linear DNA molecules. The papers in this volume reflect the diversity of interest across science and mathematics in this subject, from topology to statistical mechanics to theoretical chemistry to wet-lab molecular biology. Contents:Graph Invariants and the Topology of RNA Folding (L H Kauffman & Y Magarshak)The Functoriality of Vassiliev-Type Invariants of Links, Braids, and Knotted Graphs (T Stanford)Knotting of Regular Polygons in 3-Space (K C Millett)An Elementary Invariant of Knots (R Randell)DNA Knot Formation in Aqueous Solutions (S Y Shaw & J C Wang)Energy Functions for Polygonal Knots (J K Simon)A Statistical Study of Random Knotting Using the Vassiliev Invariants (T Deguchi & K Tsurusaki)Random Knots and Energy: Elementary Considerations (G R Buck)Statistical Mechanics and Topology of Surfaces in Zd (E J Janse van Rensburg)Unsplittability of Random Links (Y A Diao)Twist Sequences and Vassiliev Invariants (R Trapp)Global Mutation of Knots (D Rolfsen)On Random Knots (Y A Diao et al.) Readership: Mathematicians and mathematical physicists. keywords:Knots;Links;Polygonal Knots;Invariants;DNA;RNA;Energy Functions;Statistical Knot Theory;Random Knots;Mutation;Statistical Mechanics;Topology of Surfaces

Knots and Physics

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Author :
Publisher : World Scientific
ISBN 13 : 9814460303
Total Pages : 864 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (144 download)

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Book Synopsis Knots and Physics by : Louis H Kauffman

Download or read book Knots and Physics written by Louis H Kauffman and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2012-11-09 with total page 864 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This invaluable book is an introduction to knot and link invariants as generalized amplitudes for a quasi-physical process. The demands of knot theory, coupled with a quantum-statistical framework, create a context that naturally and powerfully includes an extraordinary range of interrelated topics in topology and mathematical physics. The author takes a primarily combinatorial stance toward knot theory and its relations with these subjects. This stance has the advantage of providing direct access to the algebra and to the combinatorial topology, as well as physical ideas. The book is divided into two parts: Part I is a systematic course on knots and physics starting from the ground up, and Part II is a set of lectures on various topics related to Part I. Part II includes topics such as frictional properties of knots, relations with combinatorics, and knots in dynamical systems. In this new edition, an article on Virtual Knot Theory and Khovanov Homology has beed added. Contents:Physical KnotsStates and the Bracket PolynomialThe Jones Polynomial and Its GeneralizationsBraids and the Jones PolynomialFormal Feynman Diagrams, Bracket as a Vacuum-Vacuum Expectation and the Quantum Group SL(2)qYang–Baxter Models for Specializations of the Homfly PolynomialKnot-Crystals — Classical Knot Theory in a Modern GuiseThe Kauffman PolynomialThree Manifold Invariants from the Jones PolynomialIntegral Heuristics and Witten's InvariantsThe Chromatic PolynomialThe Potts Model and the Dichromatic PolynomialThe Penrose Theory of Spin NetworksKnots and Strings — Knotted StringsDNA and Quantum Field TheoryKnots in Dynamical Systems — The Lorenz Attractorand selected papers Readership: Physicists and mathematicians. Keywords:Knots;Kauffman;Jones PolynomialReviews: "This book is an essential volume for the student of low-dimensional topology from which a serious student can learn most aspects of modern knot theory. Its informal tone encourages investigation on the part of the reader. The author leaves the reader items to puzzle out." Mathematical Reviews Reviews of the Third Edition: “It is an attractive book for physicists with profuse and often entertaining illustrations … proofs … seldom heavy and nearly always well explained with pictures … succeeds in infusing his own excitement and enthusiasm for these discoveries and their potential implications.” Physics Today “The exposition is clear and well illustrated with many examples. The book can be recommended to everyone interested in the connections between physics and topology of knots.” Mathematics Abstracts “… here is a gold mine where, with care and patience, one should get acquainted with a beautiful subject under the guidance of a most original and imaginative mind.” Mathematical Reviews