Algebraic braids, sub-manifold braid theory, and generalized Feynman diagrams

Ulla send me a link to an article by Sam Nelson about very interesting new-to-me notion known as algebraic knots, which has initiated a revolution in knot theory. This notion was introduced 1996 by Louis Kauffmann so that it is already 15 year old concept. While reading the article I realized that this notion fits perfectly the needs of TGD and leads to a progress in attempts to articulate more precisely what generalized Feynman diagrams are.

The challenge is to understand how the notion of algebraic knot could be applied to generalized Feynman diagrams. The algebraic structrures kei, quandle, rack, and biquandle and their algebraic modifications as such are not enough. The lines of Feynman graphs are replaced by braids and in vertices braid strands redistribute. This poses several challenges: the crossing associated with braiding and crossing occurring in non-planar Feynman diagrams should be integrated to a more general notion; braids are replaced with sub-manifold braids; braids of braids ....of braids are possible; the redistribution of braid strands in vertices should be algebraized. One challenge is to abstract the basic operations which should be algebraized in the case of generalized Feynman diagrams.

One should be also able to concretely identify braids and 2-braids (string world sheets) as well as partonic 2-surfaces and I have discussed several identifications during last years. Legendrian braids turn out to be very natural candidates for braids and their duals for the partonic 2-surfaces. String world sheets in turn could correspond to the analogs of Lagrangian sub-manifolds or to minimal surfaces of space-time surface satisfying the weak form of electric-magnetic duality. The latter option turns out to be more plausible. Finite measurement resolution would be realized as symplectic invariance with respect to the subgroup of the symplectic group leaving the end points of braid strands invariant. In accordance with the general vision TGD as almost topological QFT would mean symplectic QFT. The identification of braids, partonic 2-surfaces and string world sheets - if correct - would solve quantum TGD explicitly at string world sheet level in other words in finite measurement resolution.

Irrespective of whether the algebraic knots are needed, the natural question is what generalized Feynman diagrams are. It seems that the basic building bricks can be identified so that one can write rather explicit Feynman rules already now. Of course, the rules are still far from something to be burned into the spine of the first year graduate student.

For details and background see the article Algebraic braids, sub-manifold braid theory, and generalized Feynman diagrams or the chapter Knots and TGD.