Ribbon 2-knots, \(1+1=2\) and Duflo's theorem for arbitrary Lie algebras (Q2664145)

Let \(\mathfrak{g}\) be a finite-dimensional Lie algebra. The Duflo isomorphism is an algebra isomorphism \(\mathcal{D}: S(\mathfrak{g})^\mathfrak{g} \to U(\mathfrak{g})^\mathfrak{g}\), given by an explicit formula, where \(S(\mathfrak{g})^\mathfrak{g}\) and \(U(\mathfrak{g})^\mathfrak{g}\) are the \(\mathfrak{g}\)-invariant subspaces for the adjoint action of \(\mathfrak{g}\) on the symmetric algebra and the universal enveloping algebra of \(\mathfrak{g}\), respectively. To show Duflo's theorem that the map \(\mathcal{D}\) is an algebra isomorphism, the difficulty is the part to show that \(\mathcal{D}\) is an algebra homomorphism, namely that \(\mathcal{D}\) is multiplicative. There have been many proofs of Duflo's theorem. A topological proof was given by the first author, Le and Thurston, for metrized Lie algebras, using the Kontsevich integral and giving an interpretation of ``\(1+1=2\) on an abacus'' in terms of knots in 3-dimensional space [\textit{D. Bar-Natan} et al., Geom. Topol. 7, 1--31 (2003; Zbl 1032.57008)]. In this paper, the authors give a proof of Duflo's theorem, for arbitrary finite-dimensional Lie algebras, using a ``4-dimensional abacus''. The proof is given in such a process as follows. They use the setup and results due to the first and second authors [Math. Ann. 367, No. 3-4, 1517--1586 (2017; Zbl 1362.57005)]. They consider a certain circuit algebra called the space of w-foams such that each generator and relation is interpreted in terms of certain knotted objects in \(\mathbb{R}^4\) that are ribbon knotted tubes with foam vertices and strings in \(\mathbb{R}^4\). A 4-dimensional abacus bead is an element of the space of w-foams. They give an interpretation of ``\(1+1=2\)'' in terms of w-foams, and using a certain filtered linear map called the homomorphic expansion, they describe ``\(1+1=2\)'' diagrammatically in terms of arrow diagrams. Using the tensor interpretation map, they give an equality in \(\hat{S}(\mathfrak{g}^*)_\mathfrak{g} \otimes \hat{U}(\mathfrak{g})\). Here \(S(\mathfrak{g}^*)\) denotes the symmetric algebra of the linear dual of \(\mathfrak{g}\), and \(\hat{}\) denotes the degree completion where elements of \(\mathfrak{g}^*\) and \(\mathfrak{g}\) are defined to be degree 1 and degree 0, respectively, and the subscript \(\mathfrak{g}\) denotes co-invariants under the co-adjoint action of \(\mathfrak{g}\), and \(U(\mathfrak{g})\) and \(\hat{}\) denote the universal enveloping algebra of \(\mathfrak{g}\) and the degree completion, respectively. Then they show the Duflo's theorem. Further, they derive the explicit formula for the Duflo map from the homomorphic expansion.