Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 342 1 d Solution 2026-09-28
Let and denote the two oriented noncontractible cycles of the torus. Their transport operators intersect once, so the mutual braiding phase gives the Wilson-loop algebra of an Abelian Chern--Simons theoryThe integer charge vectors are identified modulo local electrons: and have identical braiding with every quasiparticle. The distinct topological charges therefore form the finite quotient group
Choose a ground state that diagonalizes the mutually commuting -cycle operators. Acting with multiplies their eigenvalues by the character . This pairing is nondegenerate on : if the character is trivial for every , then is integral and is the trivial class. Thus the states obtained from inequivalent have distinct loop eigenvalues and are orthogonal. The torus ground-state degeneracy of an Abelian Chern--Simons theory is consequently at least .
The all-ones matrix has eigenvalue along and eigenvalue zero on the -dimensional perpendicular subspace. Hence has eigenvalues , and
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 342 1 e Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Substituting into the Chern--Simons term givesThis matrix is integral and symmetric. It is invertible becauseFor and ,Thus every anyon braiding phase is unchanged, and bijectivity of on the charge lattice shows that the full sets coincide. The torus ground-state degeneracy of an Abelian Chern--Simons theory is also invariant: