Integral bases for TQFT modules and unimodular representations of mapping class groups

Abstract

We construct integral bases for the SO(3)-TQFT-modules of surfaces in genus one and two at roots of unity of prime order and show that the corresponding mapping class group representations preserve a unimodular Hermitian form over a ring of algebraic integers. For higher genus surfaces the Hermitian form sometimes must be non-unimodular. In one such case, genus three at a fifth root of unity, we still give an explicit basis.