No label defined (Q3972897)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0715.00017.] Let \(M_ k\) be the moduli space of based \(SU(2)\)-monopoles in \(\mathbb{R}^ 3\) of charge \(k\), \(\delta\) the Dirac operator parametrized by \(M_ k\), and \(ind(\delta)\) the associated index bundle as defined by \textit{C. H. Taubes} [Commun. Math. Phys. 95, 345-391 (1984; Zbl 0594.58053)]. The paper summarizes some of the ideas which lead to the discovery of the relationship between this bundle and the permutation representation of the braid group. According to a result of \textit{S. K. Donaldson} [Commun. Math. Phys. 96, 387-407 (1984; Zbl 0603.58042)], the space \(M_ k\) is diffeomorphic to the space \(Rat_ k\) of rational functions on \(\mathbb{C}\) which map infinity to zero and have \(k\) poles (counted with multiplicity). As shown by \textit{F. R. Cohen}, the first author, \textit{B. M. Mann} and \textit{R. J. Milgram} [Acta Math. 166, No. 3/4, 163-221 (1991)], \(Rat_ k\) is asymptotically homotopy equivalent to the classifying space \(B\beta_{2k}\) of the braid group \(\beta_{2k}\) on \(2k\) strings; as a consequence, an isomorphism between the \(K\)-theory of \(M_ k\) and the \(K\)-theory of \(B\beta_{2k}\) is obtained. This allows to identify for \(ind(\delta)\) the corresponding bundle over \(B\beta_{2k}\).