Three-dimensional quantum gravity, Chern-Simons theory, and the \(A\)-polynomial (Q2569131)

The author investigates Chern-Simons theory with gauge group \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb C)\), which is related to three-dimensional Euclidean quantum gravity. Observables are given by the character of a fixed representation, evaluated at the holonomy of a connection along curves \(\gamma\in M\), also known as ``Wilson lines'' or ``loop variables''. While finite-dimensional representations give the same information as \(\text{SU}(2,\mathbb C)\) Chern-Simons theory, new insights are expected from infinite-dimensional representations of \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb C)\). The author then considers knot complements \(M=S^3\setminus K\). Flat \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb C)\)-connections on \(M\) give rise to holonomies \((l,m)\in\mathbb C^*\times\mathbb C^*\), which are zeroes of the \(A\)-polynomial of \(K\). Geometrically, flat \(\text{SU}(2,\mathbb C)\)-connections can be interpreted as (not necessarily complete) hyperbolic structures on \(M\). For incomplete hyperbolic structures, the author defines a generalized volume \(\text{Vol}(l,m)\) and a generalized Chern-Simons invariant \(\text{CS}(l,m)\). The generalized volume conjecture relates the growth of the \(N\)-colored Jones polynomial to \(\text{Vol}(l,m)\) and \(\text{CS}(l,m)\). The author also states a generalization of the Melvin-Morton-Rozanski conjecture. Both conjectures are checked for the figure-eight knot.