Presents a modern treatment of the theory of theta functions in the context of algebraic geometry.

Consists of three chapters covering the following topics: foundations, bilinear forms and presentations of certain 2-step nilpotent Lie groups, discrete subgroups of the Heisenberg group, the automorphism group of the Heisenberg group, fundamental unitary representations of the Heisenberg group, and the Fourier transform and the Weil-Brezin map.

Historical introduction. The Jacobian inversion problem Periodic functions of several complex variables Riemann matrices. Jacobian (intermediate) functions Construction of Jacobian functions of a given type. Theta functions and Abelian functions. Abelian and Picard manifolds Appendix A. Skew-symmetric determinants Appendix B. Divisors of analytic functions Appendix C. A summary of the most important formulas

This book presents the relationship between classical theta functions and knots. It is based on a novel idea of Răzvan Gelca and Alejandro Uribe, which converts Weil's representation of the Heisenberg group on theta functions to a knot theoretical framework, by giving a topological interpretation to a certain induced representation. It also explains how the discrete Fourier transform can be related to 3- and 4-dimensional topology.Theta Functions and Knots can be read in two perspectives. Readers with an interest in theta functions or knot theory can learn how the two are related. Those interested in Chern-Simons theory will find here an introduction using the simplest case, that of abelian Chern-Simons theory. Moreover, the construction of abelian Chern-Simons theory is based entirely on quantum mechanics and not on quantum field theory as it is usually done.Both the theory of theta functions and low dimensional topology are presented in detail, in order to underline how deep the connection between these two fundamental mathematical subjects is. Hence the book is self-contained with a unified presentation. It is suitable for an advanced graduate course, as well as for self-study.

The theory of theta functions has a long history; for this, we refer A. Krazer and W. Wirtinger the reader to an encyclopedia article by ("Sources" [9]). We shall restrict ourselves to postwar, i. e., after 1945, periods. Around 1948/49, F. Conforto, c. L. Siegel, A. Well reconsidered the main existence theorems of theta functions and found natural proofs for them. These are contained in Conforto: Abelsche Funktionen und algebraische Geometrie, Springer (1956); Siegel: Analytic functions of several complex variables, Lect. Notes, I.A.S. (1948/49); Well: Theoremes fondamentaux de la theorie des fonctions theta, Sem. Bourbaki, No. 16 (1949). The complete account of Weil's method appeared in his book of 1958 [20]. The next important achievement was the theory of compacti fication of the quotient variety of Siegel's upper-half space by a modular group. There are many ways to compactify the quotient variety; we are talking about what might be called a standard compactification. Such a compactification was obtained first as a Hausdorff space by I. Satake in "On the compactification of the Siegel space", J. Ind. Math. Soc. 20, 259-281 (1956), and as a normal projective variety by W.L. Baily in 1958 [1]. In 1957/58, H. Cartan took up this theory in his seminar [3]; it was shown that the graded ring of modular forms relative to the given modular group is a normal integral domain which is finitely generated over C

Classical algebraic geometry, inseparably connected with the names of Abel, Riemann, Weierstrass, Poincaré, Clebsch, Jacobi and other outstanding mathematicians of the last century, was mainly an analytical theory. In our century it has been enriched by the methods and ideas of topology, commutative algebra and Grothendieck's schemes seemed to have replaced once and forever the somewhat naive language of classical algebraic geometry. This book contains more than its modest title suggests. Written in 1897, its scope was as broad as it could possibly be, namely to cover the whole of algebraic geometry, and associated theories. The subject is discussed by Baker in terms of transcendental functions, and in particular theta functions. Many of the ideas put forward are of continuing relevance today, and some of the most exciting ideas from theoretical physics draw on work presented here.

Originally published: New York: Rinehart and Winston, 1961.