A volume form on the SU(2)-representation space of knot groups (Q5920553)

Let \({k} \subset S^3\) denote a knot. The author studies the space \(\mathcal{R}eg({k})\) of conjugacy classes of ``regular'' irreducible maps from \(\pi_1(S^3-{k})\) to SU(2). Adapting ideas of A. Casson [described in \textit{S. Akbulut} and \textit{J. D. McCarthy}, Casson's invariant for oriented homology 3-spheres, Mathematical Notes, 36. Princeton University Press (1990; Zbl 0695.57011) and \textit{X.-S. Lin}, J. Differ. Geom. 35, 337--357 (1992; Zbl 0774.57007)], as well as \textit{M. Heusener} and \textit{E. Klassen}, he defines a 1-form \(\omega_{k}\) on the 1-dimensional manifold \(\mathcal{R}eg({k})\). Using work of \textit{J. Birman} [Can. J. Math. 28, 264--290 (1976; Zbl 0339.55005)], he shows that \(\omega_{k}\) is a knot invariant. He calculates \(\omega_{k}\) for the case of a \((2,q)\) torus knot. He also proves the integral of the invariant over \(\mathcal{R}eg({k})\) is additive with respect to the addition of knots.