Khovanov homology of torus links

In this paper we show that there is a cut-off in the Khovanov homology of (2k,2kn)-torus links, namely that the maximal homological degree of non-zero homology groups of (2k,2kn)-torus links is 2k²n. Furthermore, we calculate explicitly the homology group in homological degree 2k²n and prove that it coincides with the center of the ring Hk of crossingless matchings, introduced by M. Khovanov in [M. Khovanov, A functor-valued invariant for tangles, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 2 (2002) 665-741, arXiv:math.QA/0103190]. This gives the proof of part of a conjecture by M. Khovanov and L. Rozansky in [M. Khovanov, L. Rozansky, A homology theory for links in S²×S¹, in preparation]. Also we give an explicit formula for the ranks of the homology groups of (3,n)-torus knots for every n∈N.     

Khovanov homology, open books, and tight contact structures

We define the reduced Khovanov homology of an open book (S,?), and identify a distinguished “contact element” in this group which may be used to establish the tightness or non-fillability of contact structures compatible with (S,?). Our construction generalizes the relationship between the reduced Khovanov homology of a link and the Heegaard Floer homology of its branched double cover. As an application, we give combinatorial proofs of tightness for several contact structures which are not Stein-fillable. Lastly, we investigate a comultiplication structure on the reduced Khovanov homology of an open book which parallels the comultiplication on Heegaard Floer homology defined in Baldwin (2008) [4].     

Khovanov–Rozansky homology and directed cycles

We determine the cycle packing number of a directed graph using elementary projective algebraic geometry. Our idea is rooted in the Khovanov–Rozansky theory. In fact, using the Khovanov–Rozansky homology of a graph, we also obtain algebraic methods of detecting directed and undirected cycles containing a particular vertex or edge.     

A link surgery spectral sequence in monopole Floer homology

To a link L⊂S³, we associate a spectral sequence whose E² page is the reduced Khovanov homology of L and which converges to a version of the monopole Floer homology of the branched double cover. The pages Ek for k?2 depend only on the mutation equivalence class of L. We define a mod 2 grading on the spectral sequence which interpolates between the δ-grading on Khovanov homology and the mod 2 grading on Floer homology. We also derive a new formula for link signature that is well adapted to Khovanov homology.More generally, we construct new bigraded invariants of a framed link in a 3-manifold as the pages of a spectral sequence modeled on the surgery exact triangle. The differentials count monopoles over families of metrics parameterized by permutohedra. We utilize a connection between the topology of link surgeries and the combinatorics of graph-associahedra. This also yields simple realizations of permutohedra and associahedra, as refinements of hypercubes.     

The Turaev genus of an adequate knot

The Turaev genus of a knot is an obstruction to the knot being alternating. An adequate knot is a generalization of an alternating knot. A natural problem is a characterization of the Turaev genus of an adequate knot. In this paper, we show that the Turaev genus of an adequate knot is realized by the genus of the Turaev surface associated to an adequate diagram of the knot using the Khovanov homology. As a result, we obtain the additivity of the Turaev genus of adequate knots, and show that the Turaev genus of an adequate knot is “often” preserved under mutation. We also show that an n-semi-alternating knot is of Turaev genus n. This is the first examples of adequate knots of Turaev genus two or more.     

Localization for Involutions in Floer Cohomology

We consider Lagrangian Floer cohomology for a pair of Lagrangian submanifolds in a symplectic manifold M. Suppose that M carries a symplectic involution, which preserves both submanifolds. Under various topological hypotheses, we prove a localization theorem for Floer cohomology, which implies a Smith-type inequality for the Floer cohomology groups in M and its fixed point set. Two applications to symplectic Khovanov cohomology are included.     

On the cohomology of highly connected covers of finite Hopf spaces

Relying on the computation of the André-Quillen homology groups for unstable Hopf algebras, we prove that if the mod p cohomology of both the fiber and the base in an H-fibration is finitely generated as algebra over the Steenrod algebra, then so is the mod p cohomology of the total space. In particular, the mod p cohomology of the n-connected cover of a finite H-space is always finitely generated as algebra over the Steenrod algebra.     

Homotopy type of circle graph complexes motivated by extreme Khovanov homology

It was proven by González-Meneses, Manchón and Silvero that the extreme Khovanov homology of a link diagram is isomorphic to the reduced (co)homology of the independence simplicial complex obtained from a bipartite circle graph constructed from the diagram. In this paper, we conjecture that this simplicial complex is always homotopy equivalent to a wedge of spheres. In particular, its homotopy type, if not contractible, would be a link invariant (up to suspension), and it would imply that the extreme Khovanov homology of any link diagram does not contain torsion. We prove the conjecture in many special cases and find it convincing to generalize it to every circle graph (intersection graph of chords in a circle). In particular, we prove it for the families of cactus, outerplanar, permutation and non-nested graphs. Conversely, we also give a method for constructing a permutation graph whose independence simplicial complex is homotopy equivalent to any given finite wedge of spheres. We also present some combinatorial results on the homotopy type of finite simplicial complexes and a theorem shedding light on previous results by Csorba, Nagel and Reiner, Jonsson and Barmak. We study the implications of our results to knot theory; more precisely, we compute the real-extreme Khovanov homology of torus links T(3, q) and obtain examples of H-thick knots whose extreme Khovanov homology groups are separated either by one or two gaps as long as desired.     

Khovanov-Jacobsson numbers and invariants of surface-knots derived from Bar-Natan's theory

Khovanov introduced a cohomology theory for oriented classical links whose graded Euler characteristic is the Jones polynomial. Since Khovanov's theory is functorial for link cobordisms between classical links, we obtain an invariant of a surface-knot, called the Khovanov-Jacobsson number, by considering the surface-knot as a link cobordism between empty links. In this paper, we study an extension of the Khovanov-Jacobsson number derived from Bar-Natan's theory, and prove that any -knot has trivial Khovanov-Jacobsson number.

     

Khovanov homology is an unknot-detector

We prove that a knot is the unknot if and only if its reduced Khovanov cohomology has rank 1. The proof has two steps. We show first that there is a spectral sequence beginning with the reduced Khovanov cohomology and abutting to a knot homology defined using singular instantons. We then show that the latter homology is isomorphic to the instanton Floer homology of the sutured knot complement: an invariant that is already known to detect the unknot.     

On the quantum filtration of the Khovanov-Rozansky cohomology

We prove the quantum filtration on the Khovanov-Rozansky link cohomology Hp with a general degree (n+1) monic potential polynomial p(x) is invariant under Reidemeister moves, and construct a spectral sequence converging to Hp that is invariant under Reidemeister moves, whose E₁ term is isomorphic to the Khovanov-Rozansky sl(n)-cohomology Hn. Then we define a generalization of the Rasmussen invariant, and study some of its properties. We also discuss relations between upper bounds of the self-linking number of transversal links in standard contact S³.     

On the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of Stiefel manifolds

We determine the Lusternik-Schnirelmann category of real Stiefel manifolds Vn,k and quaternionic Stiefel manifolds Xn,k for n?2k which is equal to the cup-length of the mod 2 cohomology of Vn,k and the integer cohomology of Xn,k, respectively.     

The cohomology of the cotangent bundle of Heisenberg groups

Given a parabolic subalgebra g₁×n of a semisimple Lie algebra, Kostant (Ann. Math. 1963) and Griffiths (Acta Math. 1963) independently computed the g₁ invariants in the cohomology group of n with exterior adjoint coefficients. By a theorem of Bott (Ann. Math. 1957), this is the cohomology of the associated compact homogeneous space with coefficients in the sheaf of local holomorphic forms. In this paper we determine explicitly the full module structure, over the symplectic group, of the cohomology group of the Heisenberg Lie algebra with exterior adjoint coefficients. This is the cohomology of the cotangent bundle of the Heisenberg group.     

Alternating link and its generalization

The alternating links give a classical class of links. They play an important role in Knot Theory. Ozsváth and Szabó introduced a quasi-alternating link which is a generalization of an alternating link. In this paper we review some results of alternating links and quasi-alternating links on the Jones polynomial and the Khovanov homology. Moreover, we introduce a long pass link. Several problems worthy of further study are provided.     

Hochschild cohomology of ? n -Galois coverings of an algebra

We consider the ? _n -Galois covering ?? _n of the algebra A introduced by F. Xu [Adv. Math., 2008, 219: 1872?C1893]. We calculate the dimensions of all Hochschild cohomology groups of ?? _n and give the ring structure of the Hochschild cohomology ring modulo nilpotence. As a conclusion, we provide a class of counterexamples to Snashall-Solberg??s conjecture.     

Motivic cohomology of the simplicial motive of a Rost variety

We compute the motivic cohomology groups of the simplicial motive X_θ of a Rost variety for an n-symbol θ in Galois cohomology of a field. As an application we compute the kernel and cokernel of multiplication by θ in Galois cohomology. We also show that the reduced norm map on K₂ of a division algebra of square-free degree is injective.     

In response to the article by Maxim Kontsevich: Rozansky–Witten Invariants Via Formal Geometry

We show that recently constructed invariants of 3-dimensional manifolds and of hyperkähler manifolds (L. Rozansky and E. witten) come from characteristic classes of foliations and from Gelfand-fuks cohomology.