Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Mathematics

First Advisor

Lawrence Smolinsky

Abstract

This dissertation looks at representations of framed pure braids and compact orientable three manifolds. A representation, $\Phi:Z\sp{n}\oplus P\sb{n}\to \Gamma\sb{n},$ is constructed from the framed pure braid group on n strands to the mapping class group on a surface of genus n. The representation is used to obtain a presentation of the fundamental group. The representation, like that of (M-P), is compatible with Heegaard and Surgery descriptions. An algorithm is presented for transforming mapping class group elements to a stably equivalent pure framed braid, under the correspondence given by the representation. A geometric description, using the representation, is given for multiplication in a subgroup of a central extension to the mapping class group coming from (A). A question of providing a group representation development for Witten's three manifold invariant is explored. The result is negative, except for a restricted case of pure framed braids.

ISBN

9780591458381

Pages

63

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.6436

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