Heidelberg 2022 – scientific programme

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MP: Fachverband Theoretische und Mathematische Grundlagen der Physik

MP 6: Mathematical physics

MP 6.1: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 23, 2022, 16:15–16:45, MP-H5

State sum models with defects — •Catherine Meusburger — Department Mathematik, FAU, Cauerstr. 11, 91058 Erlangen

State sum models arise in topological quantum field theories, quantum topology, 3d quantum geometry, in the quantisation of Chern-Simons gauge theories and are also closely related to topological models in condensed matter physics such as Kitaev's quantum double model and Levin-Wen models. The inclusion of defects into such models is of interest in several of these research fields.

In the talk I introduce a model that includes defects in Turaev-Viro-Barrett-Westbury state sum models. It involves defect surfaces, defect lines and defect points decorated with higher categorical data and yields topological invariants.