Anchored Planar Algebras and 3-Categorical Graphical Calculus

Anchored planar algebras, a generalized notion of Vaughan Jones’ planar algebras, have recently seen use in higher category theory, functional analysis, and TQFT applications. These algebras are equipped with a natural 3-dimensional graphical calculus. We compare this graphical calculus with the 3-dimensional graphical calculus associated to tricategories, and we show that anchored planar algebras can be thought of as living in a particular tricategory. This allows for more general techniques to be applied to anchored planar algebras and expands the types of diagrams that anchored planar algebras can interpret.