Matías Graña

From racks to pointed Hopf algebras

Abstract A fundamental step in the classification of finite-dimensional complex pointed Hopf algebras is the determination of all finite-dimensional Nichols algebras of braided vector spaces arising from groups. The most important class of braided vector spaces arising from groups is the class of braided vector spaces ( C X,c q ) , where X is a rack and q is a 2-cocycle on X with values in C × . Racks and cohomology of racks appeared also in the work of topologists. This leads us to the study of the structure of racks, their cohomology groups and the corresponding Nichols algebras. We will show advances in these three directions. We classify simple racks in group-theoretical terms; we describe projections of racks in terms of general cocycles; we introduce a general cohomology theory of racks containing properly the existing ones. We introduce a “Fourier transform” on racks of certain type; finally, we compute some new examples of finite-dimensional Nichols algebras.

On rack cohomology

Abstract We prove that the lower bounds for Betti numbers of the rack, quandle and degeneracy cohomology given in Carter et al. (J. Pure Appl. Algebra, 157 (2001) 135) are in fact equalities. We compute as well the Betti numbers of the twisted cohomology introduced in Carter et al. (Twisted quandle cohomology theory and cocycle knot invariants, math. GT/0108051). We also give a group-theoretical interpretation of the second cohomology group for racks.

Cocycle knot invariants from quandle modules and generalized quandle homology

Three new knot invariants are defined using cocycles of the generalized quandle homology theory that was proposed by Andruskiewitsch and Grana. We specialize that theory to the case when there is a group action on the coefficients. First, quandle modules are used to generalize Burau representations and Alexander modules for classical knots. Second, 2-cocycles valued in non-abelian groups are used in a way similar to Hopf algebra invariants of classical knots. These invariants are shown to be of quantum type. Third, cocycles with group actions on coefficient groups are used to define quandle cocycle invariants for both classical knots and knotted surfaces. Concrete computational methods are provided and used to prove non-invertibility for a large family of knotted surfaces. In the classical case, the invariant can detect the chirality of 3-colorable knots in a number of cases.

Pointed hopf algebras of dimension 32

We give a complete classification of the 32-dimensional pointed Hopf algebras over an algebraically closed field k with chark k ≠ 2. It turns out that there are infinite families of isomorphism classes of pointed Hopf algebras of dimension 32. In [AS1], [BDG] and [Ge] are given families of counterexamples for the tenth Kaplansky conjecture. Up to now, 32 is the lowest dimension where Kaplansky conjecture fails.

Finite-dimensional pointed Hopf algebras with alternating groups are trivial

It is shown that Nichols algebras over alternating groups

QUANDLE KNOT INVARIANTS ARE QUANTUM KNOT INVARIANTS

{\mathbb A_m}

ON NICHOLS ALGEBRAS OVER PGL(2, q) AND PSL(2, q)

(m ≥ 5) are infinite dimensional. This proves that any complex finite dimensional pointed Hopf algebra with group of group-likes isomorphic to