Finite type invariants of integral homology 3-spheres: A survey

This is a survey on the current status of the study of finite type invariants of integral homology 3-spheres based on lectures given in the workshop on knot theory at Banach International Center of Mathematics, Warsaw, July 1995. As a new result, we show that the space of finite type invariants of integral homology 3-spheres is a graded polynomial algebra generated by invariants additive under the connected sum. We also discuss some open questions on this subject.Comment: 27 pages, amslatex. A new section was added surveying recent developments of the subject. To appear in the proceedings of Warsaw knot theory workshop, July-August 199

Integral geometry of plane curves and knot invariants

We study the integral expression of a knot invariant obtained as the second coefficient in the perturbative expansion of Witten's Chern-Simons path integral associated with a knot. One of the integrals involved turns out to be a generalization of the classical Crofton integral on convex plane curves and it is related with invariants of generic plane curves defined by Arnold recently with deep motivations in symplectic and contact geometry. Quadratic bounds on these plane curve invariants are derived using their relationship with the knot invariant.Comment: 18 pages, amslatex, 8 figures not included (will send upon request