A Transcendental Invariant of Pseudo-Anosov Maps

For each pseudo-Anosov map $\phi$ on surface $S$, we will associate it with a $\mathbb{Q}$-submodule of $\mathbb{R}$, denoted by $A(S,\phi)$. $A(S,\phi)$ is defined by an interaction between the Thurston norm and dilatation of pseudo-Anosov maps. We will develop a few nice properties of $A(S,\phi)$ and give a few examples to show that $A(S,\phi)$ is a nontrivial invariant. These nontrivial examples give an answer to a question asked by McMullen: the minimal point of the restriction of the dilatation function on fibered face need not be a rational point.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures, abstract has been modified by following suggestion from Curtis McMulle

Crosscap numbers and the Jones polynomial

We give sharp two-sided linear bounds of the crosscap number (non-orientable genus) of alternating links in terms of their Jones polynomial. Our estimates are often exact and we use them to calculate the crosscap numbers for several infinite families of alternating links and for several alternating knots with up to twelve crossings. We also discuss generalizations of our results for classes of non-alternating links.Comment: 27 pages. Minor corrections and modifications. To appear in Advances of Mathematic

Exceptional surgeries on alternating knots

We give a complete classification of exceptional surgeries on hyperbolic alternating knots in the 3-sphere. As an appendix, we also show that the Montesinos knots M (-1/2, 2/5, 1/(2q + 1)) with q at least 5 have no non-trivial exceptional surgeries. This gives the final step in a complete classification of exceptional surgery on arborescent knots.Comment: 30 pages, 19 figures. v2: recomputation performed via the newest version of hikmot, v3: revised according to referees' comments, to appear in Comm. Anal. Geo

A random tunnel number one 3-manifold does not fiber over the circle

We address the question: how common is it for a 3-manifold to fiber over the circle? One motivation for considering this is to give insight into the fairly inscrutable Virtual Fibration Conjecture. For the special class of 3-manifolds with tunnel number one, we provide compelling theoretical and experimental evidence that fibering is a very rare property. Indeed, in various precise senses it happens with probability 0. Our main theorem is that this is true for a measured lamination model of random tunnel number one 3-manifolds. The first ingredient is an algorithm of K Brown which can decide if a given tunnel number one 3-manifold fibers over the circle. Following the lead of Agol, Hass and W Thurston, we implement Brown's algorithm very efficiently by working in the context of train tracks/interval exchanges. To analyze the resulting algorithm, we generalize work of Kerckhoff to understand the dynamics of splitting sequences of complete genus 2 interval exchanges. Combining all of this with a "magic splitting sequence" and work of Mirzakhani proves the main theorem. The 3-manifold situation contrasts markedly with random 2-generator 1-relator groups; in particular, we show that such groups "fiber" with probability strictly between 0 and 1.Comment: This is the version published by Geometry & Topology on 15 December 200

On the zeroes of the Alexander polynomial of a Lorenz knot

We show that the zeroes of the Alexander polynomial of a Lorenz knot all lie in some annulus whose width depends explicitly on the genus and the braid index of the considered knot.Comment: 30p., final version, to appear in Ann. Inst. Fourie

A SYMPLECTIC PROLEGOMENON

A symplectic manifold gives rise to a triangulated A∞-category, the derived Fukaya category, which encodes information on Lagrangian submanifolds and dynamics as probed by Floer cohomology. This survey aims to give some insight into what the Fukaya category is, where it comes from and what symplectic topologists want to do with it.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Mathematical Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1090/S0273-0979-2015-01477-

Modular functors, cohomological field theories and topological recursion

Given a topological modular functor $\mathcal{V}$ in the sense of Walker \cite{Walker}, we construct vector bundles over $\bar{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}$, whose Chern classes define semi-simple cohomological field theories. This construction depends on a determination of the logarithm of the eigenvalues of the Dehn twist and central element actions. We show that the intersection of the Chern class with the $\psi$-classes in $\bar{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}$ is computed by the topological recursion of \cite{EOFg}, for a local spectral curve that we describe. In particular, we show how the Verlinde formula for the dimensions $D_{\vec{\lambda}}(\mathbf{\Sigma}_{g,n}) = \dim \mathcal{V}_{\vec{\lambda}}(\mathbf{\Sigma}_{g,n})$ is retrieved from the topological recursion. We analyze the consequences of our result on two examples: modular functors associated to a finite group $G$ (for which $D_{\vec{\lambda}}(\mathbf{\Sigma}_{g,n})$ enumerates certain $G$-principle bundles over a genus $g$ surface with $n$ boundary conditions specified by $\vec{\lambda}$), and the modular functor obtained from Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theory associated to a simple, simply-connected Lie group $G$ (for which $\mathcal{V}_{\vec{\lambda}}(\mathbf{\Sigma}_{g,n})$ is the Verlinde bundle).Comment: 50 pages, 2 figures. v2: typos corrected and clarification about the use of ordered pairs of points for glueing. v3: unitarity assumption waived + discussion of families index interpretation of the correlation functions for Wess-Zumino-Witten theorie