arXiv subjects

Francesco Costantino

Publications and source records attributed to Francesco Costantino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Skein (3+1)-TQFTs from Non-Semisimple Ribbon Categories

We define a (3+1)-TQFT associated with possibly non-semisimple finite unimodular ribbon tensor categories using skein theory. This gives an explicit realization of a TQFT predicted by the cobordism hypothesis, based on recent results on dualizability. State spaces are given by admissible skein modules, and we prescribe the TQFT on handle attachments. We give some explicit algebraic conditions on the input category to define this TQFT, namely to be ''chromatic non-degenerate''. As a by-product, we obtain an invariant of 4-manifolds equipped with a ribbon graph in their boundary, and in the ''twist non-degenerate'' case, an invariant of 3-manifolds. Our construction generalizes the Crane-Yetter-Kauffman TQFTs in the semi-simple case, and the Lyubashenko (hence also Hennings and WRT) invariants of 3-manifolds. The whole construction is very elementary, and we can easily characterize the invertibility of the TQFTs, study their behavior under connected sums and provide some examples.

math.GT↗

arXiv2026

Graded spherical skein 2+1-G-HQFT and modified Turaev-Viro invariants

For G a group, we present a G-graded version of chromatic maps and skein modules and use them to define a 2+1-G-HQFT out of a G-chromatic category. The construction applies to the representations of unrestricted quantum groups at root of unity and recovers the modified Turaev-Viro 3-dimensional invariants.

math.QA↗

arXiv2026

Braided categories of bimodules from stated skein TQFTs

For each braided category $\mathcal{C}$ we show that, under mild hypotheses, there is an associated category of "half braided algebras" and their bimodules internal to $\mathcal{C}$ which is not only monoidal but even braided and balanced. We use this in the case where $\mathcal{C}$ is the category of modules over a ribbon Hopf algebra to interpret stated skeins as a TQFT, namely a braided balanced functor from a category of cobordisms to this category of algebras and their bimodules. Although our construction works in full generality, we relate in the special case of finite-dimensional ribbon factorizable Hopf algebras the stated skein functor to the Kerler-Lyubashenko TQFT by interpreting the former as the "endomorphisms" of the latter.

math.QA↗

arXiv2026

Non-semisimple topological field theory and $\widehat{Z}$-invariants from $\mathfrak{osp}(1 \vert 2)$

We construct three-dimensional non-semisimple topological field theories from the unrolled quantum group of the Lie superalgebra $\mathfrak{osp}(1 \vert 2)$. More precisely, the quantum group depends on a root of unity $q=e^{\frac{2 π\sqrt{-1}}{r}}$, where $r$ is a positive integer greater than $2$, and the construction applies when $r$ is not congruent to $4$ modulo $8$. The algebraic result which underlies the construction is the existence of a relative modular structure on the non-finite, non-semisimple category of weight modules for the quantum group. We prove a Verlinde formula which allows for the computation of dimensions and Euler characteristics of topological field theory state spaces of unmarked surfaces. When $r$ is congruent to $\pm 1$ or $\pm 2$ modulo $8$, we relate the resulting $3$-manifold invariants with physicists' $\widehat{Z}$-invariants associated to $\mathfrak{osp}(1 \vert 2)$. Finally, we establish a relation between $\widehat{Z}$-invariants associated to $\mathfrak{sl}(2)$ and $\mathfrak{osp}(1 \vert 2)$ which was conjectured in the physics literature.

math.QA↗

arXiv2025

Learning 3-Manifold Triangulations

Real 3-manifold triangulations can be uniquely represented by isomorphism signatures. Databases of these isomorphism signatures are generated for a variety of 3-manifolds and knot complements, using SnapPy and Regina, then these language-like inputs are used to train various machine learning architectures to differentiate the manifolds, as well as their Dehn surgeries, via their triangulations. Gradient saliency analysis then extracts key parts of this language-like encoding scheme from the trained models. The isomorphism signature databases are taken from the 3-manifolds' Pachner graphs, which are also generated in bulk for some selected manifolds of focus and for the subset of the SnapPy orientable cusped census with $<8$ initial tetrahedra. These Pachner graphs are further analysed through the lens of network science to identify new structure in the triangulation representation; in particular for the hyperbolic case, a relation between the length of the shortest geodesic (systole) and the size of the Pachner graph's ball is observed.

math.GT↗

arXiv2024

Fisher-Rao distance between truncated distributions and robustness analysis in uncertainty quantification

Input variables in numerical models are often subject to several levels of uncertainty, usually modeled by probability distributions. In the context of uncertainty quantification applied to these models, studying the robustness of output quantities with respect to the input distributions requires: (a) defining variational classes for these distributions; (b) calculating boundary values for the output quantities of interest with respect to these variational classes. The latter should be defined in a way that is consistent with the information structure defined by the ``baseline'' choice of input distributions. Considering parametric families, the variational classes are defined using the geodesic distance in their Riemannian manifold, a generic approach to such problems. Theoretical results and application tools are provided to justify and facilitate the implementation of such robustness studies, in concrete situations where these distributions are truncated -- a setting frequently encountered in applications. The feasibility of our approach is illustrated in a simplified industrial case study.

math.MG↗

arXiv2024

Non compact (2+1)-TQFTs from non-semisimple spherical categories

This paper contains three related groupings of results. First, we consider a new notion of an admissible skein module of a surface associated to an ideal in a (non-semisimple) pivotal category. Second, we introduce the notion of a chromatic category and associate to such a category a finite dimensional non-compact (2+1)-TQFT by assigning admissible skein modules to closed oriented surfaces and using Juhász's presentation of cobordisms. The resulting TQFT extends to a genuine one if and only if the chromatic category is semisimple with nonzero dimension (recovering then the Turaev-Viro TQFT). The third grouping of results concerns sided chromatic maps in finite tensor categories. In particular, we prove that every spherical tensor category (in the sense of Etingof, Douglas et al.) is a chromatic category (and so can be used to define a non-compact (2+1)-TQFT).

math.QA↗

arXiv2023

Chromatic maps for finite tensor categories

Chromatic maps for spherical tensor categories are instrumental tools to construct (non semisimple) invariants of 3-manifolds and their extension to (non compact) (2+1)-TQFTs. In this paper, we introduce left and right chromatic maps for finite tensor categories and prove that such maps always exist. As a corollary, we obtain that any spherical finite tensor category has a chromatic map.

math.QA↗

arXiv2023

Non-Semisimple TQFT's and BPS $q$-Series

We propose and in some cases prove a precise relation between 3-manifold invariants associated with quantum groups at roots of unity and at generic $q$. Both types of invariants are labeled by extra data which plays an important role in the proposed relation. Bridging the two sides - which until recently were developed independently, using very different methods - opens many new avenues. In one direction, it allows to study (and perhaps even to formulate) $q$-series invariants labeled by spin$^c$ structures in terms of non-semisimple invariants. In the opposite direction, it offers new insights and perspectives on various elements of non-semisimple TQFT's, bringing the latter into one unifying framework with other invariants of knots and 3-manifolds that recently found realization in quantum field theory and in string theory.

math.GT↗

arXiv2023

Admissible Skein Modules

In this paper we introduce the notion of admissible skein modules associated to an ideal in a pivotal category. We explain how these modules are generalizations of the Kauffman skein algebra and how they relate to renormalized quantum invariants coming from non-semisimple categories.

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arXiv2022

Stated skein modules of 3-manifolds and TQFT

We study the behaviour of the Kauffman bracket skein modules of 3-manifolds under gluing along surfaces. For this purpose we extend the notion of Kauffman bracket skein modules to $3$-manifolds with marking consisting of open intervals and circles in the boundary. The new module is called the stated skein module. The first main results concern non-injectivity of certain natural maps defined when forming connected sums along a sphere or along a closed disk. These maps are injective for surfaces, or for generic quantum parameter, but we show that in general they are not injective when the quantum parameter is a root of 1. The result applies to the classical skein modules as well. A particular interesting result is that when the quantum parameter is a root of 1, the empty skein is zero in a connected sum where each constituent manifold has non-empty marking. We also prove various non injectivity results for the Chebyshev-Frobenius map and the natural map induced by the deletion of marked balls. We then consider the general case of gluing along a surface, showing that the stated skein module can be interpreted as a monoidal symmetric functor from a category of "decorated cobordisms" to a Morita category of algebras and their bimodules. We apply this result to deduce several properties of stated skein modules as a Van-Kampen like theorem as well as a computation through Heegaard decompositions and a relation to Hochshild homology for trivial circle bundles over surfaces.

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arXiv2020

Stated skein algebras of surfaces

We study the algebraic and geometric properties of stated skein algebras of surfaces with punctured boundary. We prove that the skein algebra of the bigon is isomorphic to the quantum group ${\mathcal O}_{q^2}(\mathrm{SL}(2))$ providing a topological interpretation for its structure morphisms. We also show that its stated skein algebra lifts in a suitable sense the Reshetikhin-Turaev functor and in particular we recover the dual $R$-matrix for ${\mathcal O}_{q^2}(\mathrm{SL}(2))$ in a topological way. We deduce that the skein algebra of a surface with $n$ boundary components is an algebra-comodule over ${\mathcal O}_{q^2}(\mathrm{SL}(2))^{\otimes{n}}$ and prove that cutting along an ideal arc corresponds to Hochshild cohomology of bicomodules. We give a topological interpretation of braided tensor product of stated skein algebras of surfaces as "glueing on a triangle"; then we recover topologically some braided bialgebras in the category of ${\mathcal O}_{q^2}(\mathrm{SL}(2))$-comodules, among which the "transmutation" of ${\mathcal O}_{q^2}(\mathrm{SL}(2))$. We also provide an operadic interpretation of stated skein algebras as an example of a "geometric non symmetric modular operad". In the last part of the paper we define a reduced version of stated skein algebras and prove that it allows to recover Bonahon-Wong's quantum trace map and interpret skein algebras in the classical limit when $q\to 1$ as regular functions over a suitable version of moduli spaces of twisted bundles.

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arXiv2018

Kuperberg and Turaev-Viro Invariants in Unimodular Categories

We give a categorical setting in which Penrose graphical calculus naturally extends to graphs drawn on the boundary of a handlebody. We use it to introduce invariants of 3-manifolds presented by Heegaard splittings. We recover Kuperberg invariants when the category comes from an involutory Hopf algebra and Turaev-Viro invariants when the category is semi-simple and spherical.

math.QA↗

arXiv2016

Some remarks on the unrolled quantum group of sl(2)

In this paper we consider the representation theory of a non-standard quantization of sl(2). This paper contains several results which have applications in quantum topology, including the classification of projective indecomposable modules and a description of morphisms between them. In the process of proving these results the paper acts as a survey of the known representation theory associated to this non-standard quantization of sl(2). The results of this paper are used extensively in [arXiv:1404.7289] to study Topological Quantum Field Theory (TQFT) and have connections with Conformal Field Theory (CFT).

math.QA↗

arXiv2016

Non semi-simple TQFTs from unrolled quantum $sl(2)$

Invariants of 3-manifolds from a non semi-simple category of modules over a version of quantum $sl(2)$ were obtained by the last three authors in arXiv:1202.3553 . They are invariants of $3$-manifolds together with a cohomology class which can be interpreted as a line bundle with flat connection. In arXiv:1404.7289 we have extended those invariants to graded TQFTs on suitable cobordism categories. Here we give an overview of constructions and results, and describe the TQFT vector spaces. Then we provide a new, algebraic, approach to the computation of these vector spaces.

math.GT↗

arXiv2015

Quantum invariants of 3-manifolds via link surgery presentations and non-semi-simple categories

In this paper we construct invariants of 3-manifolds "à la Reshetikhin-Turaev" in the setting of non-semi-simple ribbon tensor categories. We give concrete examples of such categories which lead to a family of 3-manifold invariants indexed by the integers. We prove this family of invariants has several notable features, including: they can be computed via a set of axioms, they distinguish homotopically equivalent manifolds that the standard Reshetikhin-Turaev-Witten invariants do not, and they allow the statement of a version of the Volume Conjecture and a proof of this conjecture for an infinite class of links.

math.GT↗

arXiv2015

Duality between Spin networks and the 2D Ising model

The goal of this paper is to exhibit a deep relation between the partition function of the Ising model on a planar trivalent graph and the generating series of the spin network evaluations on the same graph. We provide respectively a fermionic and a bosonic Gaussian integral formulation for each of these functions and we show that they are the inverse of each other (up to some explicit constants) by exhibiting a supersymmetry relating the two formulations. We investigate three aspects and applications of this duality. First, we propose higher order supersymmetric theories which couple the geometry of the spin networks to the Ising model and for which supersymmetric localization still holds. Secondly, after interpreting the generating function of spin network evaluations as the projection of a coherent state of loop quantum gravity onto the flat connection state, we find the probability distribution induced by that coherent state on the edge spins and study its stationary phase approximation. It is found that the stationary points correspond to the critical values of the couplings of the 2D Ising model, at least for isoradial graphs. Third, we analyze the mapping of the correlations of the Ising model to spin network observables, and describe the phase transition on those observables on the hexagonal lattice. This opens the door to many new possibilities, especially for the study of the coarse-graining and continuum limit of spin networks in the context of quantum gravity.

math-ph↗

arXiv2014

Non semi-simple sl(2) quantum invariants, spin case

Invariants of 3-manifolds from a non semi-simple category of modules over a version of quantum sl(2) were obtained by the last three authors in [arXiv:1404.7289]. In their construction the quantum parameter $q$ is a root of unity of order $2r$ where $r>1$ is odd or congruent to $2$ modulo $4$. In this paper we consider the remaining cases where $r$ is congruent to zero modulo $4$ and produce invariants of $3$-manifolds with colored links, equipped with generalized spin structure. For a given $3$-manifold $M$, the relevant generalized spin structures are (non canonically) parametrized by $H^1(M;\mathbb C/2\mathbb Z)$.

math.GT↗