Braid Groups [Hardcover]

Braids and braid groups, the focus of this text, have been at the heart of important mathematical developments over the last two decades. Their association with permutations has led to their presence in a number of mathematical fields and physics. As central objects in knot theory and 3-dimensional topology, braid groups has led to the creation of a new field called quantum topology.

In this well-written presentation, motivated by numerous examples and problems, the authors introduce the basic theory of braid groups, highlighting several definitions that show their equivalence; this is followed by a treatment of the relationship between braids, knots and links. Important results then treat the linearity and orderability of the subject. Relevant additional material is included in five large appendices.

Braid Groups will serve graduate students and a number of mathematicians coming from diverse disciplines.

Braids and Braid Groups.- Braids, Knots, and Links.- Homological Representations of the Braid Groups.- Symmetric Groups and Iwahori#x2013;Hecke Algebras.- Representations of the Iwahori#x2013;Hecke Algebras.- Garside Monoids and Braid Monoids.- An Order on the Braid Groups.- Presentations of SL(Z) and PSL(Z).- Fibrations and Homotopy Sequences.- The Birman#x2013;Murakami#x2013;Wenzl Algebras.- Left Self-Distributive Sets.

From the reviews:

Details on & braid groups are carefully provided by Kassel and Turaevs text Braid Groups. & Braid Groups is very well written. The proofs are detailed, clear, and complete. ... The text is to be praised for its level of detail. & For people & who want to understand current research in braid group related areas, Braid Groups is an excellent, in fact indispensable, text. (Scott Taylor, The Mathematical Association of America, October, 2008)

This is a very useful, carefully written book that will bring lÀ