Invariant theory and the invariants of low-dimensional topology (Q1292708)

\textit{L. H. Kauffman} showed in [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 100, No. 1-3, 73-92 (1995; Zbl 0844.57008)] how to construct a Kauffman-Radford-Hennings invariant for 3-manifolds, starting from a quantum algebra. This paper establishes a connection between the invariant theory and the Kauffman-Radford-Hennings invariant of \(3\)-manifolds. Specifically, it is proved that determining the traces on a quantum Hopf algebra is equivalent to determining a ``homogeneous'' part of the algebra of invariants of a certain group acting on some associative algebra.