Kauffman bracket skein module of a connected sum of 3-manifolds (Q1971691)

Let \(M_1\) and \(M_2\) be two compact oriented 3-manifolds, let \(R\) be a commutative ring with identity, and let \(A\in R\) be an invertible element. By \({\mathcal S}(M_i; R, A)\) we denote the corresponding Kauffman bracket skein module of \(M_i, i=1,2\). The main theorem of the paper states that if \((A^k -1)\) is invertible in \(R\) for any \(k>0\), then \[ {\mathcal S}(M_1 \# M_2; R, A)={\mathcal S}(M_1; R, A) \otimes {\mathcal S}(M_2; R, A). \] In particular, this is true if \(R\) is the field of rational functions in variable \(A\), or if \(R\) is the field of complex numbers and \(A\) is not a root of unity. The author also discusses possible generalizations of the main theorem.