Frobenius algebras derived from the Kauffman bracket skein algebra (Q2802901)

A Frobenius algebra \(A\) over a field \(k\) is an algebra equipped with a nondegenerate bilinear form \(\sigma: A\times A\to k\) such that \(\sigma(ab, c)=\sigma(a, bc)\) for all \(a, b, c\in A\). Frobenius algebras play an important role in Topological Quantum Field Theory. This paper shows how to construct Frobenius algebras from the Kauffman bracket skein algebra of a compact oriented surface.NEWLINENEWLINEThe Kauffman bracket skein module \(K(M)\) of an oriented 3-manifold is the quotient of \(L_M\) by the Kauffman bracket skein relations, where \(L_M\) is the \(\mathbb{C}[A, A^{-1}]\)-module generated by all framed links in \(M\) up to isotopy. For every oriented surface \(F\), \(K(F\times [0,1])\) is an algebra under stacking. For an odd integer \(N\), denote \(K(F\times [0,1])\) by \(K_N(F)\) when \(A\) is set to \(e^{\pi i/N}\). According to results from [\textit{F. Bonahon} and \textit{H. Wong}, Invent. Math. 204, No. 1, 195--243 (2016; Zbl 1383.57015), \textit{D. Bullock}, Comment. Math. Helv. 72, No. 4, 521--542 (1997; Zbl 0907.57010) and \textit{J. H. Przytycki} and \textit{A. S. Sikora}, Topology 39, No. 1, 115--148 (2000; Zbl 0958.57011)], \(K_N(F)\) is a central extension of \(\chi(F)\), the coordinate ring of the \(SL_2\mathbb{C}\)-character variety of \(\pi_1(F)\). When \(K_N(F)\) is localized at the nonzero elements of \(\chi(F)\), we obtain an algebra \(\hat K_N(F)\) over \(\hat\chi(F)\), the function field of the character variety of \(\pi_1(F)\).NEWLINENEWLINEDefine \(\sigma: \hat K_N(F)\times\hat K_N(F)\to \hat\chi(F)\) by \(\sigma(\alpha, \beta) = Tr(\alpha\beta)\), where \(Tr: \hat K_N(F)\to \hat\chi(F)\) is the trace of the left multiplication, normalized so that \(Tr(1)=1\). It is shown that \(\sigma\) is nondegenerate, and thus \(\hat K_N(F)\) is a Frobenius algebra over \(\hat\chi(F)\), if the surface \(F=\Sigma_{i,j}\), where \((i, j)\in \{(0,2), (0,3), (1,0), (1,1)\}\) and \(\Sigma_{i,j}\) is the genus \(i\) surface with \(j\) boundary components. The proofs rely on finding explicit bases of \(\hat K_N(F)\) over \(\hat\chi(F)\). The paper also discusses getting Frobenius algebras over \(\mathbb{C}\) by specializing the character ring at a place.