A branch of mathematics with roots in Jones' construction of his polynomial invariant of links, the Jones polynomial, and Drinfel'd's work on quantum groups (cf. also Quantum groups). It encompasses the theory of quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds, algebraic topology based on knots,
The name algebra situs is motivated by terms coined by G. Leibniz: "geometria situs" and "analysis situs" .
For references, see Kauffman polynomial; Knot and link diagrams.