Classification of Thurston-relation subfactor planar algebras

Abstract

Bisch and Jones suggested the skein theoretic classification of planar algebras and investigated the ones generated by 2-boxes with the second author. In this paper, we consider 3-box generators and classify subfactor planar algebras generated by a non-trivial 3-box satisfying a relation proposed by Thurston. The subfactor planar algebras in the classification are either $E^6$ or the ones from representations of quantum $SU(N)$. We introduce a new method to determine positivity of planar algebras and new techniques to reduce the complexity of computations.