The category of Fresnel kernels (Q1085501)

Let V and \(\Lambda\) be vector spaces, and let \({\mathcal K}=\int_{\Lambda}\mu e^{iM}\), where \(0\neq \mu \in | V^*|^{1/2}\otimes \Lambda^*\) \((| A^*|^ s\) denotes the space of s-densities of a vector space A), and M is a Morse family of functions on \(\Lambda\) (i.e., grosso modo, it generates a Lagrangian subspace of \(V\oplus V^*)\). Then \({\mathcal K}\) is called a Fresnel distribution on V. If X and Y are two vector spaces, then a Fresnel distribution of \(Y\oplus X\) is called a Fresnel kernel. Thereby, Fresnel kernels come from linear symplectic relations generated (as Lagrangian subspaces) by quadratic functions, and these structures are studied in detail by the authors who look at the symplectic relations from a categorial viewpoint. Furthermore, from this viewpoint, the Fresnel kernels are organized into a category, and various notions of the theory of categories (monomorphism, epimorphism, isomorphism, subobject, equivalence, quotient object etc.) are studied in this category of Fresnel kernels.