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Teichmuller TQFT vs Chern-Simons Theory

Mathematical Physics Seminar

Speaker: VIctor Mikhaylov, Simons Center
Location: 2112 MSB
Start time: Fri, Jan 26 2018, 11:00AM

Teichmuller TQFT is a unitary 3d topological theory whose Hilbert spaces are spanned by Liouville conformal blocks. It is related but not identical to SL(2,R) Chern-Simons theory. To physicists, it is known in particular in the context of 3d-3d correspondence and also in the holographic description of Virasoro conformal blocks. I will describe some basics about this theory and will propose a simple definition of it as an analytically-continued Chern-Simons theory with an unusual integration cycle. I will present a new simple argument for how it can be obtained from six dimensions by reducing the 6d (2,0) theory on a three-sphere with a transversely-holomorphic foliation, and propose a duality with complex SL(2,C) Chern-Simons theory.