Math and Physics

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 presen...

These notes are based on the lecture the author gave at the workshop 'Geometry of Strings and Fields' held at Nordita, Stockholm. In these notes, I shall cover some topics in both the perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of the topological Chern-Simons theory. The non-perturbative part will mostly be about the quantization of Chern-Simons theory and the use of surgery for computation, while the non-perturbative part will include brief discussions about framings, eta inva...

Chern-Simons theory in the 1/N expansion has been conjectured to be equivalent to a topological string theory. This conjecture predicts a remarkable relationship between knot invariants and Gromov-Witten theory. We review some basic aspects of this relationship, as well as the tests of this conjecture performed over the last ten years. Particular attention is given to indirect tests based on integrality conjectures, both for the HOMFLY and for the Kauffman invariants of links...

We discuss unifying features of topological field theories in 2, 3 and 4 dimensions. This includes relations among enumerative geometry (2d topological field theory) link invariants (3d Chern-Simons theory) and Donaldson invariants (4d topological theory).

A path-integral approach to non-perturbative topological invariants of knots, links and manifolds of dimension three and four using topological quantum field theory of Schwarz (Chern-Simons) type is presented.

We review the string/gauge theory duality relating Chern-Simons theory and topological strings on noncompact Calabi-Yau manifolds, as well as its mathematical implications for knot invariants and enumerative geometry.

Recent work on the loop representation of quantum gravity has revealed previously unsuspected connections between knot theory and quantum gravity, or more generally, 3-dimensional topology and 4-dimensional generally covariant physics. We review how some of these relationships arise from a `ladder of field theories' including quantum gravity and BF theory in 4 dimensions, Chern-Simons theory in 3 dimensions, and the G/G gauged WZW model in 2 dimensions. We also describe the r...

A review on topological strings and the geometry of the space of two dimensional theories. (Lectures given by C. Gomez at the Enrico Fermi Summer School, Varenna, July 1994)

The physics of quantum gravity is discussed within the framework of topological quantum field theory. Some of the principles are illustrated with examples taken from theories in which space-time is three dimensional.

We review the relation between Chern-Simons gauge theory and topological string theory on noncompact Calabi-Yau spaces. This relation has made possible to give an exact solution of topological string theory on these spaces to all orders in the string coupling constant. We focus on the construction of this solution, which is encoded in the topological vertex, and we emphasize the implications of the physics of string/gauge theory duality for knot theory and for the geometry of...