Algorithmic Invariants for Alexander Modules

Let $G$ be a group given by generators and relations. It is possible to compute a presentation matrix of a module over a ring through Fox's differential calculus. We show how to use Gröbner bases as an algorithmic tool to compare the chains of elementary ideals defined by the matrix. We apply this technique to classical examples of groups and to compute the elementary ideals of Alexander matrix of knots up to $11$ crossings with the same Alexander polynomial

Quantum Knitting

We analyze the connections between the mathematical theory of knots and quantum physics by addressing a number of algorithmic questions related to both knots and braid groups. Knots can be distinguished by means of `knot invariants', among which the Jones polynomial plays a prominent role, since it can be associated with observables in topological quantum field theory. Although the problem of computing the Jones polynomial is intractable in the framework of classical complexity theory, it has been recently recognized that a quantum computer is capable of approximating it in an efficient way. The quantum algorithms discussed here represent a breakthrough for quantum computation, since approximating the Jones polynomial is actually a `universal problem', namely the hardest problem that a quantum computer can efficiently handle.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures; to appear in Laser Journa

Some analogs of Zariski's Theorem on nodal line arrangements

For line arrangements in P^2 with nice combinatorics (in particular, for those which are nodal away the line at infinity), we prove that the combinatorics contains the same information as the fundamental group together with the meridianal basis of the abelianization. We consider higher dimensional analogs of the above situation. For these analogs, we give purely combinatorial complete descriptions of the following topological invariants (over an arbitrary field): the twisted homology of the complement, with arbitrary rank one coefficients; the homology of the associated Milnor fiber and Alexander cover, including monodromy actions; the coinvariants of the first higher non-trivial homotopy group of the Alexander cover, with the induced monodromy action.Comment: Published by Algebraic and Geometric Topology at http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/agt/AGTVol5/agt-5-28.abs.htm

Lyubeznik numbers of monomial ideals

We study Bass numbers of local cohomology modules supported on squarefree monomial ideals paying special attention to Lyubeznik numbers. We build a dictionary between local cohomology modules and minimal free resolutions that allow us to interpret Lyubeznik numbers as the obstruction to the acyclicity of the linear strands of the Alexander dual ideals. The methods we develop also help us to give a bound for the injective dimension of the local cohomology modules in terms of the dimension of the small support.Comment: 28 page

Formalized proof, computation, and the construction problem in algebraic geometry

An informal discussion of how the construction problem in algebraic geometry motivates the search for formal proof methods. Also includes a brief discussion of my own progress up to now, which concerns the formalization of category theory within a ZFC-like environment

Faithful Lie algebra modules and quotients of the universal enveloping algebra

We describe a new method to determine faithful representations of small dimension for a finite dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra. We give various applications of this method. In particular we find a new upper bound on the minimal dimension of a faithful module for the Lie algebras being counter examples to a well known conjecture of J. Milnor