Perturbations of planar algebras

Abstract: We analyze the effect of pivotal structures (on a 2-category) on the planar algebra associated to a 1-cell as in \cite{Gho08} and come up with the notion of {\em perturbations of planar algebras by weights} (a concept that appeared earlier in Michael Burns' thesis \cite{Bur03}); we establish a one-to-one correspondence between weights and pivotal structures. Using the construction of \cite{Gho08}, to each bifinite bimodule over $II_1$-factors, we associate a {\em bimodule planar algebra} in such a way that extremality of the bimodule corresponds to sphericality of the planar algebra. As a consequence of this, we reproduce an extension of Jones' theorem (\cite{Jon}) (of associating `subfactor planar algebras' to extremal subfactors). Conversely, given a bimodule planar algebra, we construct a bifinite bimodule whose associated bimodule planar algebra is the one which we start with, using perturbations and Jones-Walker-Shlyakhtenko-Kodiyalam-Sunder method of reconstructing an extremal subfactor from a subfactor planar algebra. The perturbation technique helps us to construct an example of a family of non-spherical planar algebras starting from a particular spherical one; we also show that this family is associated to a known family of subfactors constructed by Jones.