An integral expression of the first nontrivial one-cocycle of the space of long knots in \(\mathbb R^3\) (Q2431642)

Continuing his work in [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 8, No.~3, 1499--1522 (2008; Zbl 1151.57012)] on the cohomology of long knots \(\mathcal{H}_n\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\), \(n>3\) (embeddings of \(\mathbb{R}\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) with standard behavior outside a compact set), the author in this paper constructs a non-trivial cohomology class in the space of classical long knots \(\mathcal{H}_3\) via configuration space integrals. More precisely, a configuration space integral over a certain non-trivalent diagram \(\Gamma\) gives a closed 1-form in \(H^1(\mathcal{H}_3)\). (In particular, the anomaly term for this integral vanishes.) To show non-triviality of this cocycle, the author evaluates it over the Gramain cycle and shows that this evaluation gives the Casson invariant \(v_2\). This is done by appealing to and extending to the case \(n=3\) the author's earlier results on Browder operations and configuration space integrals from the paper cited above. The author also immediately generalizes the non-triviality result to obtain other classes (whose evaluations on the Gramain cycle is given by combinations of the Casson invariant) from other non-trivalent diagrams. The \(\mathbb{Z}/2\) reductions of the \(\mathbb{R}\)-cocycles the author produced in this paper have appeared before in [\textit{V. Turchin}, Math. Notes 80, No.~1, 101--108 (2006); translation from Mat. Zametki 80, No.~1, 105--114 (2006; Zbl 1143.57007)]. In addition, the results here are related to the collinearity counting from [\textit{R. Budney} et al., Adv. Math. 191, No.~1, 78--113 (2005; Zbl 1078.57011)] that gives an alternative way of thinking about \(v_2\).