Lectures on representations of surface groups (Q387961): Difference between revisions

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From the introduction: The purpose of this lecture series is to describe the ``representation variety'' -- or ``character variety'' -- of the fundamental group \(\pi_1(S)\) of a closed connected surface \(S\) of genus greater than 2, with values in a Lie group \(G\). This character variety is roughly defined to be \[ \mathrm {Rep}(\pi_1(S), G) := \mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)/ G, \] where \(G\) acts on \(\mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)\) by conjugation. In the preliminary chapters, we give a crash course on surfaces, vector bundles and connections. We then describe the smooth structure of these character varieties as well as their tangent spaces. To explain the volume form on these tangent spaces we need to, following Witten, introduce the Reidemeister torsion. When \(G = \mathrm {PSL}(2, \mathbb R)\), we prove the Milnor-Wood inequality and discuss the connected components of the character variety. We finally introduce the symplectic structure on these character varieties and prove Witten's formula, which computes their symplectic volume in the case of compact groups. We introduce two important algebras of observables, the first one consisting of Wilson loops or the other of spin networks, and compute their Poisson bracket, thus introducing the Goldman algebra. In the last chapter, we turn to the integrality of the symplectic form and the relation with 3-manifolds and the Chern-Simons invariant. Each chapter ends with a section giving general references for further reading.
Property / review text: From the introduction: The purpose of this lecture series is to describe the ``representation variety'' -- or ``character variety'' -- of the fundamental group \(\pi_1(S)\) of a closed connected surface \(S\) of genus greater than 2, with values in a Lie group \(G\). This character variety is roughly defined to be \[ \mathrm {Rep}(\pi_1(S), G) := \mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)/ G, \] where \(G\) acts on \(\mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)\) by conjugation. In the preliminary chapters, we give a crash course on surfaces, vector bundles and connections. We then describe the smooth structure of these character varieties as well as their tangent spaces. To explain the volume form on these tangent spaces we need to, following Witten, introduce the Reidemeister torsion. When \(G = \mathrm {PSL}(2, \mathbb R)\), we prove the Milnor-Wood inequality and discuss the connected components of the character variety. We finally introduce the symplectic structure on these character varieties and prove Witten's formula, which computes their symplectic volume in the case of compact groups. We introduce two important algebras of observables, the first one consisting of Wilson loops or the other of spin networks, and compute their Poisson bracket, thus introducing the Goldman algebra. In the last chapter, we turn to the integrality of the symplectic form and the relation with 3-manifolds and the Chern-Simons invariant. Each chapter ends with a section giving general references for further reading. / rank
 
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Property / reviewed by
 
Property / reviewed by: Witold Mozgawa / rank
 
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Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID
 
Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 53-02 / rank
 
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Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID
 
Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 53D30 / rank
 
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Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID
 
Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 58D27 / rank
 
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Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID
 
Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 53C07 / rank
 
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Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID
 
Property / Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 58J28 / rank
 
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Property / zbMATH DE Number
 
Property / zbMATH DE Number: 6239069 / rank
 
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Property / zbMATH Keywords
 
character variety
Property / zbMATH Keywords: character variety / rank
 
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ribbon graph
Property / zbMATH Keywords: ribbon graph / rank
 
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twisted cohomology
Property / zbMATH Keywords: twisted cohomology / rank
 
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Reidemeister torsion
Property / zbMATH Keywords: Reidemeister torsion / rank
 
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symplectic complex
Property / zbMATH Keywords: symplectic complex / rank
 
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parallel metric
Property / zbMATH Keywords: parallel metric / rank
 
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moduli space
Property / zbMATH Keywords: moduli space / rank
 
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Milnor-Wood inequality
Property / zbMATH Keywords: Milnor-Wood inequality / rank
 
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observable
Property / zbMATH Keywords: observable / rank
 
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Wilson loop
Property / zbMATH Keywords: Wilson loop / rank
 
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Goldman algebra
Property / zbMATH Keywords: Goldman algebra / rank
 
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spin network
Property / zbMATH Keywords: spin network / rank
 
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Witten formula
Property / zbMATH Keywords: Witten formula / rank
 
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disintegrated measure
Property / zbMATH Keywords: disintegrated measure / rank
 
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Revision as of 13:22, 29 June 2023

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Lectures on representations of surface groups
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    Lectures on representations of surface groups (English)
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    17 December 2013
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    From the introduction: The purpose of this lecture series is to describe the ``representation variety'' -- or ``character variety'' -- of the fundamental group \(\pi_1(S)\) of a closed connected surface \(S\) of genus greater than 2, with values in a Lie group \(G\). This character variety is roughly defined to be \[ \mathrm {Rep}(\pi_1(S), G) := \mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)/ G, \] where \(G\) acts on \(\mathrm {Hom}(\pi_1(S), G)\) by conjugation. In the preliminary chapters, we give a crash course on surfaces, vector bundles and connections. We then describe the smooth structure of these character varieties as well as their tangent spaces. To explain the volume form on these tangent spaces we need to, following Witten, introduce the Reidemeister torsion. When \(G = \mathrm {PSL}(2, \mathbb R)\), we prove the Milnor-Wood inequality and discuss the connected components of the character variety. We finally introduce the symplectic structure on these character varieties and prove Witten's formula, which computes their symplectic volume in the case of compact groups. We introduce two important algebras of observables, the first one consisting of Wilson loops or the other of spin networks, and compute their Poisson bracket, thus introducing the Goldman algebra. In the last chapter, we turn to the integrality of the symplectic form and the relation with 3-manifolds and the Chern-Simons invariant. Each chapter ends with a section giving general references for further reading.
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    character variety
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    ribbon graph
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    twisted cohomology
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    Reidemeister torsion
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    symplectic complex
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    parallel metric
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    moduli space
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    Milnor-Wood inequality
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    observable
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    Wilson loop
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    Goldman algebra
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    spin network
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    Witten formula
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    disintegrated measure
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