Rings of $SL_2({\mathbb C})$-Characters and the Kauffman Bracket Skein Module

We relate the Kauffman bracket stated skein modules to two independent constructions of quantum representation spaces of Habiro and Van der Veen with the second author. We deduce from this relation a description of the classical limit of stated skein modules, a quantum Van Kampen theorem and a quantum HNN extension theorem for stated skein modules and obtain a new description of the skein modules of mapping tori and links exteriors.

When $A$ in the Kauffman bracket skein relation is a primitive $2N$th root of unity, where $N\geq 3$ is odd, the Kauffman bracket skein algebra $K_N(F)$ of a finite type surface $F$ is a ring extension of the $SL_2\mathbb{C}$-characters $\chi(F)$ of the fundamental group of $F$. We localize by inverting the nonzero characters to get an algebra $S^{-1}K_N(F)$ over the function field of the character variety. We prove that if $F$ is noncompact, the algebra $S^{-1}K_N(F)$ is a s...

Let k be a subring of the field of rational functions in \alpha, s which contains \alpha^{1}, \alpha^{-1}, s^{1}, s^{-1}, . Let M be a compact oriented 3-manifold, and let K(M) denote the Kauffman skein module of M over k. Then K(M) is the free k-module generated by isotopy classes of framed links in M modulo the Kauffman skein relations. In the case of k={Q}(\alpha, s), the field of rational functions in \alpha, s, we give a basis for the Kauffman skein module of the solid t...

I introduce new Langlands duality conjectures concerning skein modules of 3-manifolds, which we have made recently with David Ben-Zvi, Sam Gunningham, and Pavel Safronov. I recount some historical motivation and some recent special cases where the conjecture is confirmed. The proofs in these cases combine the representation theory of double affine Hecke algebras and a new 1-form symmetry structure on skein modules related to electric-magnetic duality. This note is an expansio...

Using the $U_q^Hsl_2$ non-semisimple invariants of 3-manifolds at odd roots of unity, we construct maps on the Kauffman bracket skein module at roots of unity of order twice an odd number, having any possible abelian non central character as classical shadow.

Skein modules are the main objects of an algebraic topology based on knots (or position). In the same spirit as Leibniz we would call our approach "algebra situs." When looking at the panorama of skein modules we see, past the rolling hills of homologies and homotopies, distant mountains - the Kauffman bracket skein module, and farther off in the distance skein modules based on other quantum invariants. We concentrate here on the basic properties of the Kauffman bracket skein...

The Kauffman bracket skein module $S(M)$ of a 3-manifold $M$ is a $\mathbb{Q}(A)$-vector space spanned by links in $M$ modulo the so-called Kauffman relations. In this article, for any closed oriented surface $\Sigma$ we provide an explicit spanning family for the skein modules $S(\Sigma\times S^1)$. Combined with earlier work of Gilmer and Masbaum, we answer their question about the dimension of $S(\Sigma\times S^1)$ being $2^{2g+1} + 2g -1$.

We describe, for a few small examples, the Kauffman bracket skein algebra of a surface crossed with an interval. If the surface is a punctured torus the result is a quantization of the symmetric algebra in three variables (and an algebra closely related to a cyclic quantization of $U(so_3$). For a torus without boundary we obtain a quantization of "the symmetric homologies" of a torus (equivalently, the coordinate ring of the $SL_2(C)$-character variety of $Z \oplus Z$). Pres...

In this paper we disprove a twenty-two year old theorem about the structure of the Kauffman bracket skein module of the connected sum of two handlebodies. We achieve this by analysing handle slidings on compressing discs in a handlebody. We find more relations than previously predicted for the Kauffman bracket skein module of the connected sum of handlebodies, when one of them is not a solid torus. Additionally, we speculate on the structure of the Kauffman bracket skein modu...

In this paper we study the skein modules of the surfaces, $\Sigma_{i,j}$ $(i,j)\in \{(0,2),(0,3),(1,0),(1,1)\}$ at $2N$-th roots of unity where $N\geq 3$ is an odd counting number and construct Frobenius algebras from them.