Quantum invariants of random 3-manifolds (Q633892)

For every odd integer \(r\geq 3\) one can define the SO(3) Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariant \(Z\) of 3-manifolds, first constructed in [\textit{R. Kirby} and \textit{P. Melvin}, Invent. Math. 105, No. 3, 473--545 (1991; Zbl 0745.57006)]. While \(Z(M)\) is in general very hard to calculate for a particular manifold \(M\), the authors of the paper under review were able to show that the distribution of \(|Z(M)|\) is the Rayleigh distribution for a random 3-manifold \(M\). In particular, the probability that \(|Z(M)|\) is at least some \(x\) is \(P\{|Z(M)|\geq x\} = e^{-x^2}\). It is known that \(|Z(M)|\) provides a lower bound on the genus of \(M\), cf. [\textit{S. Garoufalidis}, Topology 37, No.1, 219--224 (1998; Zbl 0892.57005)] and [\textit{V. Turaev}, Quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds. 2nd revised ed. de Gruyter Studies in Mathematics 18. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. (2010; Zbl 1213.57002)]. The distribution of \(|Z(M)|\) shows that this lower bound is rarely sharp.