Modular categories of type \(B\), \(C\) and \(D\) (Q5954617)

Modular categories are an algebraic construction that produces TQFT's in dimension 3. This paper gives a construction of modular and pre-modular categories from the Kauffman skein relations. This approach is more elementary than other constructions, which use representation theory of quantum groups at roots of unity. The construction presented in this paper produces four series of pre-modular categories from specializations of the two-variable Kauffman polynomial, corresponding to quantum groups of types B,C and D. Of these series, one gives modular categories, while the others satisfy the Bruguières modularization criterion. The paper also includes a computation of the corresponding Verlinde formulas, and discusses certain spin and cohomological refinements.