Quantum triangulations. Moduli spaces, strings, and quantum computing. (Q642470)

At several place in mathematics triangulations of 2-manifolds are useful. They supply a computational tool via approximating the manifold by discrete data. Moreover, they will help to give a classification of manifolds (e.g. see the Euler number). Hence, they are related to moduli space problems. Triangulations (respectively polyhedral structures for higher dimensional manifolds) also play a role in the context of quantum field theory and string theory. It is the goal of this book to give an access to these very interesting applications and relations. In Chapter 1, a detailed study of the geometry of polyhedral manifolds, in particular, of triangulated surfaces is given. Beside the classical known facts, stress is also put on degenerations of the manifolds. In the surface case, these corresponds to stable degenerations of genus \(g\) surfaces. Conical singularities show up. The developed concepts play a role in the context of quantum gravity and string theory. Next, in Chapter 2, the complex geometry of the triangulated surfaces is studied. A special treatment is given to the conical singularity. Ribbon graphs, the moduli space of Riemann surfaces with \(N_0\) marked points, and Troyanov's singular Euclidean structure show up. In Chapter 3, the interplay between polyhedral surfaces and 3-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is considered. Explicit expressions for the Weil-Peterssen form of hyperbolic surfaces with geodesic boundaries are given. In Chapter 4, an introduction to the basic ideas of two-dimensional quantum field theory and non-critical strings is given. It is shown how the concepts introduced so far are important tools in this context. A number of relations to questions from quantum gravity are dealt with. The recent results of Mirzakhani, relating the intersection theory on the moduli space of marked Riemann surfaces and the geometry of hyperbolic surfaces with geodesic boundaries, show up. The results are related with the volume conjecture in hyperbolic geometry. Chapter 5 and 6 deal with the interplay between triangulated manifolds, knots, topological quantum field theory and quantum computations. Wigner 6j symbols, Ponzano-Regge state sums, Tuarev-Viro quantum invariants, Heegard splittings, Jones polynomials and many more interesting objects play a role in this context. The book makes an inspiring reading for mathematicians and theoretical physicists working in the field.