Growth of quantum \(6j\)-symbols and applications to the volume conjecture (Q2135646)

Given a compact 3-manifold \(M\), the Turaev-Viro invariants \(TV_r(M,q)\) are a family of quantum invariants depending on an integer \(r \ge 3\) (the level) and a root of unity \(q\) of order \(2r\) (see [\textit{V. G. Turaev} and \textit{O. Y. Viro}, Topology 31, No. 4, 865--902 (1992; Zbl 0779.57009)]). Loosely speaking, they are defined as follows: given a triangulation of the 3-manifold \(M\), each tetrahedron of the triangulation can be assigned a coloring, meaning a natural integer \(n_i\) for each of its 6 edges, such that the \(6\)-tuple \((n_1, \ldots, n_6)\) satisfies some admissibility condition. In its turn, to a colored tetrahedron corresponds a complex number (the \(6j\)-symbol) \(\begin{vmatrix} n_1 & n_2 & n_3 \\ n_4 & n_5 & n_6 \end{vmatrix}\) which depends on the colors, the level \(r\) and the root of unity \(q\). Essentially the Turaev-Viro invariants are then given by the sum over all admissible colorings of the product over all colored tetrahedra of their \(6j\)-symbols. \textit{Q. Chen} and \textit{T. Yang} [Quantum Topol. 9, No. 3, 419--460 (2018; Zbl 1405.57020)] formulated the following conjecture: Conjecture [Volume conjecture for Turaev-Viro invariants] Let \(M\) be a compact hyperbolic manifold (possibly with boundary a torus, or a totally geodesic surface). Then \[\lim_{\substack{r \to \infty\\ r \text{ odd }}} \frac{2\pi} r \log \left\vert TV_r(M, e^{2i\pi/r})\right\vert = \mathrm{Vol}(M)\] The main result of the paper under review is a proof of this conjecture for an infinite family of hyperbolic 3-manifolds: Theorem. The volume conjecture for TV invariants holds for the exterior of any fundamental shadow link in \(\#^{c+1} (S^2 \times S^1)\). The proof of this theorem uses crucially a bound on the asymptotics of the growth of the \(6j\)-symbols in terms of the volume \(v_8\) of a regular ideal octahedron. Proof of this (sharp) bound requires technically involved work and is the core of two sections of the paper. The paper also contains further applications of these results. First, an asymptotically sharp estimate of the volume of any compact hyperbolic 3-manifold \(M\) in terms of the Turaev-Viro invariants of a manifold \(N\) which is the exterior of a genuine link in \(M\). Finally, the paper provides many examples of diffeomorphisms of surfaces satisfying a conjecture of \textit{J. E. Andersen} et al. [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 141, No. 3, 477--488 (2006; Zbl 1110.57009)]. Namely these mapping classes are shown to be sent to elements of infinite order through the so-called quantum representations at large enough level.