A formula for the \(\Theta\)-invariant from Heegaard diagrams (Q2346433)

\(\Theta (M,\tau)\) is an invariant of a \(3\)-dimensional rational homology sphere \(M\), endowed with a parallelization \(\tau\) in the complement of a point. It is the simplest \(3\)-manifold invariant defined by configuration space integrals [\textit{M. Kontsevich}, Prog. Math. 120, 97--121 (1994; Zbl 0872.57001)]. \(\Theta (M,\tau)\) equals \(6 {\lambda}(M)+\frac{1}{4} p_1(\tau)\), where \(\lambda\) is the Casson-Walker invariant, and \(p_1\) is a Pontryagin number associated to \(\tau\). \(\Theta\) is given by the integral of \(\omega (M,\tau)^3\) over the \(2\)-point configuration space of punctured \(M\), where \(\omega\) is a closed \(2\)-form (a \textit{propagator}). The author has previously shown that \(\Theta\) can be defined dually as the intersection of three \(4\)-dimensional chains (also referred to as propagators) in a compactification \(C_2(M)\) of the the configuration space. This paper constructs explicit propagators, associated with a Heegaard diagram of \(M\). This gives a combinatorial diagram for \(\Theta\) in terms of Heegaard diagrams. The author suggests that these techniques could also be applied to other configuration space integrals.