Casson's knot invariant and gauge theory (Q5937491)

If \(M\) is a homology 3-sphere and \(M'\) the result of \(+1\)-surgery on \(M\) along a knot \(K\subset M\), then Casson shows that the Casson invariants \(\lambda (M)\), \(\lambda (M')\) are related by the formula \[ \lambda (M')-\lambda (M)=\lambda' (K) \] where \(\lambda' (K)\) is determined by the Alexander polynomial of \(K\). On the other hand a well-known result (the Floer exact triangle) relates the Floer homologies \(HF_* (M)\), \(HF_* (M')\) in a long exact sequence which involves a third term \(HF_* (M'')\), where \(M''\) is obtained by \(0\)-surgery along \(K\). \(HF_* (M'')\) is defined using Chern-Simons gauge theory on the non-trivial SO(3)-bundle \(P_{M''}\) over \(M''\). Using Taubes's result interpreting \(\lambda (M)\) as half the Euler characteristic of \(HF_* (M)\), one obtains immediately the equality \(2|\lambda' (K)|=|\chi (f)|\) where \(\chi (f)\) is the Euler characteristic of \(HF_* (M'')\) but can be defined directly from the critical points of the Chern-Simons functional, as done by Taubes. The aim of the present work is to give a direct proof of this equality, avoiding Floer homology. In addition, this equality is extended to the case where \(M\) is a rational homology sphere and \(K\) a null-homologous knot. In this context Floer homology has not yet been defined and so the result is new.