Knot invariants from Chern-

Simons theory and Knot homology

Zodinmawia, IIT Bombay

Based on work done with Satoshi Nawata and P. Ramadevi

[JKTR, arXiv:1302.5143],[LMP 103 (2013), arXiv:1302.5143],

[JHEP11(2012)157, arXiv:1209.1409][Nucl.Phys. B870 (2013),
arXiv:1107.3918]

Feb 2014, IMSc

 Outline
Chern-Simons theory and knot
invariants
Knot-homology (superpolynomial for
twist knots)
Volume conjecture (A-polynomial)
 What is a knot
• A closed, non-intersecting, continuous curve in 3-dim
space.

Trefoil knot
31

link Borromean rings

3
62
 Equivalent knots

 If the two knots can be

deformed continuously to
each other, they are said to
be equivalent

Recognition problem:
The equivalence of
knots
 Knot invariant

• Knot invariants: A quantity same for equivalent knots

Example:
Knot group Jones polynomial HOMFLY polynomial
 Kauffman polynomial  Khovanov polynomial
Jones polynomial
Knot invariants can be constructed or
interpreted in quantum field theory
 Chern-simons Theory

 Chern-Simons theory in 𝑺𝟑 provides a natural

framework for constructing and calculating knot
invariants [Witten ‘89]

Generators for the

adjoint representation
of gauge group G
 Wilson loop operator

𝑇𝑅𝑎 =Generators for representation R of SU(N)

Knot invariant
 [Witten ‘89]

R= (fundamental) Higher rank representation

SU(2) Jones Polynomial 𝑱(𝑲; 𝒒) Colored Jones 𝑱𝑹 (𝑲; 𝒒)

SU(N) HOMFLY Polynomial Colored HOMFLY 𝑷𝑹 (𝑲; 𝒂, 𝒒)

𝑷(𝑲; 𝒂, 𝒒)

2𝜋𝑖
Variables: 𝑞 = 𝑒 𝑘+𝑁 , 𝑎 = 𝑞𝑁
 Chern-simons theory does not provide only just
formal construction of knot invariants, actual
calculation can be done

 Quantum 6j symbols are the only non trivial object

needed for calculating expectation value of Wilson
loop operator in Chern-Simons theory
Basic ingredient: Relation between C-S and CFT
Basic ingredient: Relation between C-S and CFT

𝑆𝑈(𝑁) Chern-Simons in a [Witten ‘89]

manifold with boundary Σ
Chern-Simons Path
integral in manifold with
boundary Σ is given by
Conformal blocks of
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW CFT on
Σ
|Ψ Vector in the space
Of conformal
blocks on 𝑆 2
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW CFT on Σ.
 Examples

dim𝑞 𝑅1  dim𝑞 𝑅2 dim𝑞 𝑅1  dim𝑞 𝑅2

|Ψ Expectation value of
Wilson loop operator

𝑊𝑅 = Φ Ψ
Φ|
 Conformal blocks
Conformal block basis of
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model

𝑡 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅 3 ⨂𝑅 4 )
 Conformal blocks
Conformal block basis of Conformal block basis of
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model

𝑡 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅 3 ⨂𝑅 4 ) 𝑠 ∈ (𝑅2 ⊗ 𝑅3 ) ∩ (𝑅 1 ⨂𝑅 4 )
 Conformal blocks
Conformal block basis of Conformal block basis of
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model

=
𝑡 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅 3 ⨂𝑅 4 ) 𝑠 ∈ (𝑅2 ⊗ 𝑅3 ) ∩ (𝑅 1 ⨂𝑅 4 )
 Conformal blocks
Conformal block basis of Conformal block basis of
𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model 𝑆𝑈(𝑁)𝑘 WZNW model

=
𝑡 ∈ (𝑅1 ⊗ 𝑅2 ) ∩ (𝑅 3 ⨂𝑅 4 ) 𝑠 ∈ (𝑅2 ⊗ 𝑅3 ) ∩ (𝑅 1 ⨂𝑅 4 )

SU(N) quantum Racah coefficients

 Quantum 6j-symbols

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑡 𝑅1 𝑅2
= 𝜖{𝑅𝑖 } dim𝑞 𝑡 dim𝑞 𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑠
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑠 𝑅3 𝑅4
 Quantum 6j-symbols

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑡 𝑅1 𝑅2
= 𝜖{𝑅𝑖 } dim𝑞 𝑡 dim𝑞 𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑠
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑠 𝑅3 𝑅4

Quantum dimension
[𝛼. (𝜌 + Λ 𝑅 )]
𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑞 𝑅 =
[𝛼. 𝜌]
𝛼>0
 Quantum 6j-symbols

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑡 𝑅1 𝑅2
= 𝜖{𝑅𝑖 } dim𝑞 𝑡 dim𝑞 𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑠
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑠 𝑅3 𝑅4

Quantum dimension q-number

[𝛼. (𝜌 + Λ 𝑅 )] 𝑞 𝑥/2 − 𝑞 −𝑥/2
𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑞 𝑅 = 𝑥 = 1/2
[𝛼. 𝜌] 𝑞 − 𝑞 −1/2
𝛼>0
 The quantum algebra 𝑈𝑞 (𝑆𝑈(2))
𝐽𝑧 𝐽
− 𝑧
𝑞2 − 𝑞 2
𝐽𝑧 , 𝐽± = ±𝐽± , 𝐽+ , 𝐽− = 1 1 ≡ [𝐽𝑧 ]
−
𝑞2 − 𝑞 2

Representation: |𝑗, 𝑚

𝐽± |𝑗, 𝑚 = 𝑗 ∓ 𝑚 𝑗 ± 𝑚 + 1 |𝑗, 𝑚 ± 1 𝐽𝑧 |𝑗, 𝑚 = [𝑚] |𝑗, 𝑚

𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗2 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3

(𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗2 ) ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3 =𝑇𝑗1 ⊗ (𝑇𝑗2 ⊗ 𝑇𝑗3 )

𝑗1 𝑗2
| 𝑗1 , 𝑗2 𝑗12 , 𝑗3 ; 𝑗, 𝑚 = 𝑎𝑗12𝑗23 |𝑗1 , 𝑗2 , 𝑗3 𝑗23 ; 𝑗, 𝑚
𝑗3 𝑗
𝑗23

SU(2) quantum Racah coefficient

 States

dim𝑞 𝑅1  dim𝑞 𝑅2 dim𝑞 𝑅1  dim𝑞 𝑅2

 Braiding

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅1
(−)
0
𝑏1 0
 Braiding eigenvalue
[Moore,Seiberg ‘89]

+ + − −
𝜆𝑡 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑡;𝑅1,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑅1 +𝐶𝑅2 −𝐶𝑡 2 𝜆𝑠 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑠;𝑅1,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑠 2
 Braiding eigenvalue

+ + − −
𝜆𝑡 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑡;𝑅1,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑅1 +𝐶𝑅2 −𝐶𝑡 2 𝜆𝑠 (𝑅1 , 𝑅2 ) = 𝜖𝑠;𝑅1,𝑅2 𝑞 𝐶𝑠 2
Example
R

10151 knot
The closed form expression of quantum 6j symbol for
SU(2) is already known [Kirillov, Reshetikhin ‘89]
The closed form expression of quantum 6j symbol
for SU(N) is still unknown
 Identities

𝑅1 𝑅1 𝑅 ,𝑅 dim𝑞 𝑠
𝑎0𝑠 =𝜖s 1 2
𝑅2 𝑅2 dim𝑞 𝑅1  dim𝑞 𝑅2

Orthogonality:

𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅 𝑅2
𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑘𝑠 1 = 𝛿𝑡,𝑘 𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑡𝑟 1 = 𝛿𝑠,𝑟
𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅3 𝑅4
𝑠 𝑡
Identities from equivalence of states
Identities from equivalence of states
SU(N) quantum Racah coefficients
Could do it for 𝑅2 = 𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑥𝑒𝑠
Twist knots

L.H.S is known [S.Nawata, Ramadevi, Z ‘12] [Kawagoe ‘12]

 Quantum 6j symbols
Type I

Type II
 Conjecture

𝜔𝑖 =fundamental weights 𝛼𝑗∨ =coroot

𝜔𝑖 , 𝛼𝑗∨ = 𝛿𝑖𝑗
Type I Type II

For N=2, C=1

Our conjectured form for SU(N) quantum 6j symbols
can be used to calculate 𝑊𝑅 (𝐾) (colored HOMFLY
polynomial) for many knots and links

𝑅=
What types of knots and links can I study
Four strand knots and links carrying symmetric
representation

10154 knot
R=
 10145 knot

724 link 633 link

 Checks
62 , 63 , 73 , 75 knots [Morozov et al ‘12]

Borromean link, whitehead link [Satoshi et al]

Integrality properties of knot polynomials

• The coefficients of the variables in knot polynomials

are all integers. Why???
 Khovanov homology
[Khovanov ’99]

The construction of a bigraded chain

complex for a given knot diagram

Knot diagram

Knot invariant

The Euler characteristics is the Jones polynomial

 𝔰𝔩
Since ℋ𝑖,𝑗2 is a knot invariant, the Poincare polynomial
is also a knot invariant

𝒫2 (𝐾; 𝑞, 𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑖 𝑞 𝑗 dim ℋ𝑖,𝑗 (𝐾)

𝑖,𝑗
Khovanov polynomial

Example:
𝐶𝑖,𝑗 Vector space
 Colored sl(2) homology 𝔰𝔩 ,𝑅
ℋ𝑖,𝑗2
Categorify colored Jones
polynomial
[Cooper-Krushkal] [Frenkel-Stroppel-Sussan][Webster]

𝔰𝔩
sl(N) homology ℋ𝑖,𝑗𝑁 [Khovanov-Rozansky ‘04]
Categorify
sl(N) invariant
 [Khovanov-Rozansky ‘05]
Triply graded homology
which categorify 𝐻𝑖,𝑗,𝑘
HOMFLY polynomial

[Dunfield-Gukov-Rasmussen ‘05]
A triply graded homology ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 which is equipped
with a families differentials which relates it to
Sl(N) homology.
 Colored HOMFLY homology 𝑅
ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘
[Gukov-Stosic ‘12]

Euler characteristics is the colored HOMFLY polynomial

𝑅
𝑃𝑅 𝐾; 𝑎, 𝑞 = −1 𝑖 𝑞 𝑗 𝑎𝑘 dim ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 𝐾
𝑖,𝑗,𝑘

The Poincare polynomial are called superpolynomials

𝑅
𝒫𝑅 𝐾; 𝑎, 𝑞, 𝑡 = 𝑡 𝑖 𝑞 𝑗 𝑎𝑘 dim ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 (𝐾)
𝑖,𝑗,𝑘
Example:

𝑡 = −1
 Differentials
𝑅
ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 𝐾 is equipped with a families of differentials
which relates it to sl(N) homology

𝑑𝑁>0 Deg=(-1,N,-1)

differentials 𝑑0 Deg=(-1,0,-3) 𝑁𝜖ℤ

𝑑𝑆 𝑟→𝑆 𝑟−1 ∶ 𝑆𝑟
ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 𝑆𝑟−1
(𝐾) → ℋ𝑖,𝑗,𝑘 (𝐾)
Example: Action of 𝑑1

𝑑1
𝑎𝑟 𝑠(𝐾) 𝑞 −𝑟 𝑠(𝐾) 𝑡 0
S(K): Rasmussen invariant
𝑎2 𝑞 −2 𝑡 0
Example: Action of 𝑑2

Put a = 𝑞 2

Sl(2) homological invariant

Twist Knots

P=1 P=-1

𝐾1 𝐾−1

31 41

𝐾𝑝 Twist knot with p full

twist
 Colored Jones polynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil [Habiro ‘00]

 Colored Jones polynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil [Habiro ‘00]

𝑓𝑛,𝑘
 Colored Jones polynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil [Habiro ‘00]

𝑓𝑛,𝑘

For 𝐾𝑃 , p>0

𝑓𝑛,𝑠𝑝 [Masbaum ‘03]

 Colored Jones polynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil [Habiro ‘00]

𝑓𝑛,𝑘

For 𝐾𝑃 , p>0

𝑓𝑛,𝑠𝑝 [Masbaum ‘03]

 Colored Jones polynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil [Habiro ‘00]

𝑓𝑛,𝑘

Twisting factor
For 𝐾𝑃 , p>0

𝑓𝑛,𝑠𝑝 [Masbaum ‘03]

Figure of eight knot

[Habiro ‘00]

𝑔𝑛,𝑘
For 𝐾𝑃 , p<0 𝑔𝑛,𝑠𝑝

[Masbaum ‘03]
Twisting factor
 Colored superpolynomials for Twist Knots

Trefoil
[Fuji-Gukov-SulKowski ‘12]

𝐹𝑛,𝑘

Figure of eight knot [Itoyama-Mironov-Morozov-Morozov ‘12]

𝐺𝑛,𝑘
 [Dunfield-Gukov-
Rasmussen ‘05]

[Gukov-Stosic ‘12]

52 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑡 ≡ 𝐾2 61 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑡 ≡ 𝐾−2

Colored superpolynomials for Twist Knots
 Colored superpolynomials for Twist Knots

Twisting factor for 𝐾𝑃 , p>0

Twisting factor for 𝐾𝑃 , p<0

 Our Conjecture
For 𝐾𝑃 , p>0

For 𝐾𝑃 , p<0
 Our Conjecture

Convert multiple summation to double summation using Bailey chains

 Checks for the conjecture

For 𝑎 = 𝑞2 and 𝑡 = −1, the formula reduces to

the colored Jones polynomial

t=-1 limit → colored HOMFLY polynomials.

[Zodinmawia, Ramadevi ‘11]

𝑆𝑈(𝑁) Chern-Simons theory → colored HOMFLY
polynomials
Twist knots upto 10 crossings for n=2,3
 Checks for the conjecture

Kawagoe [arXiv:1210.7574 [math.GT]]

[2012]
linear skein relation → colored HOMFLYPT polynomials
for twist knots colored by
symmetric representation

This matches with the t=-1 limit of our formula.

 Checks for the conjecture

Gives the correct result when acting 𝑑1

Annihilated by 𝑑1

𝑎𝑛 𝑠(𝐾𝑝>0 ) 𝑞 −𝑛 𝑠(𝐾𝑝>0 ) 𝑡 0 𝑠 𝐾𝑝>0 = 1

Annihilated by 𝑑1

𝑎𝑛 𝑠(𝐾𝑝<0 ) 𝑞 −𝑛 𝑠(𝐾𝑝<0 ) 𝑡 0 𝑠 𝐾𝑝<0 = 0

 Checks for the conjecture

Match with results obtained by the Mathematica Package

 Volume conjecture

Large colour behaviour of colored Jones polynomial

has interesting properties

[Kashaev ‘95]
[H. Murakami, J. Murakami ‘01]
 Classical A-polynomial

𝑆𝐿(2, ℂ) Character variety of the fundamental

group of the knot complement
[Cooper,Culler,Gillet,Long,Shalen]

Knot complement 𝑆 3 \K

Knot group 𝜋1 (𝐾) fundamental group of 𝑆 3 \K

Example: Figure-eight knot

𝜋1 𝐾 =< 𝑎, 𝑏; 𝑏𝑎𝑏 −1 𝑎−1 𝑏𝑎−1 𝑏 −1 𝑎𝑏𝑎−1 = 1 >

Representation of the 𝜌: 𝜋1 (𝐾) → 𝑆𝐿(2, ℂ)
fundamental group in
𝑆𝐿(2, ℂ)

Classical A-polynomial 𝐴 𝑥, 𝑦 = 0
𝑏𝑎𝑏 −1 𝑎−1 𝑏𝑎−1 𝑏 −1 𝑎𝑏𝑎−1 = 1
 Classical A-polynomial

Longitude l 𝑙 = 𝑎𝑏 −1 𝑎𝑏𝑎−2 𝑏𝑎𝑏 −1 𝑎−1

Classical A-polynomial
 Generalized volume conjecture [Gukov ‘05]
[Murakami]

A one parameter deformation of volume conjecture.

Relates asymptotic limit to classical A-polynomial

Integration done along the zero locus of the A-polynomial: A(K;x,y)=0

Generalized volume conjecture [Gukov ‘05]
[Murakami]

A(K;x,y)=0
 Super-A-polynomials
[Fuji-Gukov-Sulkowski –Awata ‘12]

Asymptotic behavior Classical-super-A-polynomial

of
Classical super-A-polynomials
 Classical super-A-polynomials

The leading behavior with respect to ℏ comes from

the saddle points

super-A-polynomials
 Classical super-A-polynomials

For p>0 For p<0

Eliminate 𝑧0 and 𝑤0 to find classical super-A-polynomial

 Classical super-A-polynomials

At t=-1, a=1, it reduces to the classical A-polynomial

𝐴sup𝑒𝑟 (𝐾; 𝑥, 𝑦; 𝑡 = −1, 𝑎 = 1) = 𝐴(𝐾; 𝑥, 𝑦)
 Quantum volume conjecture
[Stavros ‘04][Gukov ‘04]

Quantum A-polynomials
Quantum super-A-polynomials
[Fuji-Gukov-Sulkowski –Awata ‘12]
Thank you