Soeren Kold Hansen

TITLE: Chern-Simons invariants and asymptotics of the quantum invariants for surgeries on the figure eight knot

ABSTRACT:  I will describe joint work with Joergen Ellegaard Andersen on the  asymptotic expansion of the SU(2) Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev  invariants of the 3-manifolds obtained by rational surgeries on the  3-sphere along the figure 8 knot. In particular I will explain how the Chern-Simons invariants of flat SU(2) connections on these  3-manifolds enter the asymptotics, thereby supporting a  conjecture of Witten about these asymptotics.     

Relevant reference:  J.E. Andersen, S.K.Hansen, "Asymptotics of the quantum invariants for  surgeries on the figure 8 knot", preprint, submitted, see the internet  at    http://www.maphysto.dk/cgi-bin/w3-msql/publications2/genericpublication2.html?publ=76