I.F.T.

Almuerzo-Seminario

(Lunch seminar)

March 4th 1999, 14:00 p.m. (Notice unusual day!)

Vassiliev Invariants and Chern-Simons Theory: Pedagogical Review and Some Recent Results

Esther Pérez

U. Alfonso X

Topological Chern-Simons field theory has proved a very powerfull tool to study Vassiliev invariants of knots and links. The perturbative evaluation of the Wilson loop operator in different gauges provides equivalent representations of the invariants, each related with a different matematical approach. The aim of the talk is to give a brief review on the subjet, and then describe some new results, focusing on the analysis in the temporal gauge where, despite the well known ambiguities of this gauge, very simple combinatorial expressions for the invariants are encountered.

The almuerzo-seminario is intended to be an informal seminar and an open forum for discussion.

You are wellcome to bring your own bocata (sandwich), or coffee or tea.

Where: Modulo C-XVI, 3rd floor, Facultad de Ciencias U.A.M., C.U. Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid