Graded-fusion 2-categories and quantum homotopy invariants of 4-manifolds

Matthew Cellot

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arXiv · 2608.20959

Graded-fusion 2-categories and quantum homotopy invariants of 4-manifolds

Matthew Cellot

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Abstract

We introduce 3-group-graded extensions of fusion 2-categories, where 3-groups are modeled by 2-crossed modules. From this data, we derive a state-sum invariant of 4-manifolds equipped with a homotopy class of maps to a homotopy 3-type, or equivalently of flat 3-bundles over 4-manifolds. This invariant is nontrivial and generalizes the Douglas-Reutter invariant of 4-manifolds. To construct our invariant, we encode homotopy classes of maps to the classifying space of a 3-group $\sigma$ via $\sigma$-colorings of triangulations, and we generalize Pachner's theorem in this context.

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Matthew Cellot. 2026-08-21. Graded-fusion 2-categories and quantum homotopy invariants of 4-manifolds. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.20959

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