The structure of 3-manifolds with two-generated fundamental group

We provide a structure theorem for 3-manifolds with 2-generated fundamental group and non-trivial JSJ-decomposition. We further give a number of applications.     

On pallets for Fox colorings of spatial graphs

We introduce the notion of pallets of quandles and define coloring invariants for spatial graphs which give a generalization of Fox colorings studied in Ishii and Yasuhara (1997) [4]. All pallets for dihedral quandles are obtained from the quotient sets of the universal pallets under a certain equivalence relation. We study the quotient sets and classify their elements.     

The group of parenthesized braids

We investigate a group B_• that includes Artin's braid group B_∞ and Thompson's group F. The elements of B_• are represented by braids diagrams in which the distances between the strands are not uniform and, besides the usual crossing generators, new rescaling operators shrink or stretch the distances between the strands. We prove that B_• is a group of fractions, that it is orderable, admits a nontrivial self-distributive structure, i.e., one involving the law x(yz)=(xy)(xz), it embeds in the mapping class group of a sphere with a Cantor set of punctures, and that Artin's representation of B_∞ into the automorphisms of a free group extends to B_•.     

On the homotopy type of CW-complexes with aspherical fundamental group

This paper is concerned with the homotopy type distinction of finite CW-complexes. A (G,n)-complex is a finite n-dimensional CW-complex with fundamental-group G and vanishing higher homotopy-groups up to dimension n−1. In case G is an n-dimensional group there is a unique (up to homotopy) (G,n)-complex on the minimal Euler-characteristic level χmin(G,n). For every n we give examples of n-dimensional groups G for which there exist homotopically distinct (G,n)-complexes on the level χmin(G,n)+1. In the case where n=2 these examples are algebraic.     

On cyclic bra nched coverings of torus knots

We prove that then-fold cyclic coverings of the 3-sphere branched over the torus knotsK(p,q), p>q2 (i.e. the Brieskorn manifolds in the sense of [12]) admit spines corresponding to cyclic presentations of groups ifp1 (modq). These presentations include as a very particular case the Sieradski groups, first introduced in [14] and successively obtained from geometric constructions in [4], [9], and [15]. So our main theorem answers in affirmative to an open question suggested by the referee in [14]. Then we discuss a question concerning cyclic presentations of groups and Alexander polynomials of knots.Work Performed under the auspicies of the G.N.S.A.G.A. of the C.N.R. (National Research Council) of Italy and partially supported by the Ministero per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica of Italy Within the projectsGeometria Reale e Complessa andTopologia and by the Korean Science and Engineering Foundation.     

On the class group and S-class group of formal power series rings

Let ${\text{Cl}}_t(A)$ denote the t-class group of an integral domain A. P. Samuel has established that if A is a Krull domain then the mapping ${\text{Cl}}_t(A)\to {\text{Cl}}_t(A?X?)$, is injective and if A is a regular UFD, then ${\text{Cl}}_t(A)\to {\text{Cl}}_t(A?X?)$, is bijective. Later, L. Claborn extended this result in case A is a regular Noetherian domain. In the first part of this paper we prove that the mapping ${\text{Cl}}_t(A)\to {\text{Cl}}_t(A?X?)$; $[I]?[{(I.A?X?)}_t]$ is an injective homomorphism and in case of an integral domain A such that each υ-invertible υ-ideal of A has υ-finite type, we give an equivalent condition for ${\text{Cl}}_t(A)\to {\text{Cl}}_t(A?X?)$, to be bijective, thus generalizing the result of Claborn. In the second part of this paper, we define the S-class group of an integral domain A: let S be a (not necessarily saturated) multiplicative subset of an integral domain A. Following [11], a nonzero fractional ideal I of A is S-principal if there exist an $s\in S$ and $a\in I$ such that $sI?aA?I$. The S-class group of A, S-${\text{Cl}}_t(A)$ is the group of fractional t-invertible t-ideals of A under t-multiplication modulo its subgroup of S-principal t-invertible t-ideals of A. We generalize some known results developed for the classic contexts of Krull and PυMD domain and we investigate the case of isomorphism S-${\text{Cl}}_t(A)?S$-${\text{Cl}}_t(A?X?)$.     

Subgroup separability of the figure 8 knot group

It is shown that the fundamental groups of certain non-positively curved 2-complexes have the property that their quasiconvex subgroups are the intersections of finite index subgroups.As a consequence, every geometrically finite subgroup of the figure 8 knot group is the intersection of finite index subgroups. The same result holds for many other prime alternating link groups.     

A method of finding automorphism groups of endomorphism monoids of relational systems

For any set X and any relation ρ on X, let T(X,ρ) be the semigroup of all maps a:X→X that preserve ρ. Let S(X) be the symmetric group on X. If ρ is reflexive, the group of automorphisms of T(X,ρ) is isomorphic to N_S(X)(T(X,ρ)), the normalizer of T(X,ρ) in S(X), that is, the group of permutations on X that preserve T(X,ρ) under conjugation. The elements of N_S(X)(T(X,ρ)) have been described for the class of so-called dense relations ρ. The paper is dedicated to applications of this result.     

A framization of the Hecke algebra of type B

We introduce a framization of the Hecke algebra of type B. For this framization, we construct a faithful tensorial representation and two linear bases. We also construct a Markov trace on such an algebra, and from this trace we derive isotopy invariants for framed and classical knots and links in the solid torus.     

Lie algebras and the Four Color Theorem

We present a statement about Lie algebras that is equivalent to the Four Color Theorem.     

Nielsen periodic point theory for periodic maps on orientable surfaces

Let denote a periodic self map of minimal period m on the orientable surface of genus g with g>1. We study the calculation of the Nielsen periodic numbers NPn(f) and NΦn(f). Unlike the general situation of arbitrary maps on such surfaces, strong geometric results of Jiang and Guo allow for straightforward calculations when n≠m. However, determining NPm(f) involves some surprises. Because fm=idFg, fm has one Nielsen class Em. This class is essential because L(idFg)=χ(Fg)=2−2g≠0. If there exists k<m with L(fk)≠0 then Em reduces to the essential fixed points of fk. There are maps g (we call them minLef maps) for which L(gk)=0 for all k<m. We show that the period of any minLef map must always divide 2g−2. We prove that for such maps Em reduces algebraically iff it reduces geometrically. This result eliminates one of the most difficult problems in calculating the Nielsen periodic point numbers and gives a complete trichotomy (non-minLef, reducible minLef, and irreducible minLef) for periodic maps on Fg.We prove that reducible minLef maps must have even period. For each of the three types of periodic maps we exhibit an example f and calculate both NPn(f) and NΦn(f) for all n. The example of an irreducible minLef map is on F₄ and is of maximal period 6. The example of a non-minLef map is on F₂ and has maximal period 12 on F₂. It is defined geometrically by Wang, and we provide the induced homomorphism and analyze it. The example of an irreducible minLef map is a map of period 6 on F₄ defined by Yang. No algebraic analysis is necessary to prove that this last example is an irreducible minLef map. We explore the algebra involved because it is intriguing in its own right. The examples of reducible minLef maps are simple inversions, which can be applied to any Fg. Using these examples we disprove the conjecture from the conclusion of our previous paper.     

Groupoid extensions of mapping class representations for bordered surfaces

The mapping class group of a surface with one boundary component admits numerous interesting representations including a representation as a group of automorphisms of a free group and as a group of symplectic transformations. Insofar as the mapping class group can be identified with the fundamental group of Riemann's moduli space, it is furthermore identified with a subgroup of the fundamental path groupoid upon choosing a basepoint. A combinatorial model for this, the mapping class groupoid, arises from the invariant cell decomposition of Teichmüller space, whose fundamental path groupoid is called the Ptolemy groupoid. It is natural to try to extend representations of the mapping class group to the mapping class groupoid, i.e., to construct a homomorphism from the mapping class groupoid to the same target that extends the given representations arising from various choices of basepoint.Among others, we extend both aforementioned representations to the groupoid level in this sense, where the symplectic representation is lifted both rationally and integrally. The techniques of proof include several algorithms involving fatgraphs and chord diagrams. The former extension is given by explicit formulae depending upon six essential cases, and the kernel and image of the groupoid representation are computed. Furthermore, this provides groupoid extensions of any representation of the mapping class group that factors through its action on the fundamental group of the surface including, for instance, the Magnus representation and representations on the moduli spaces of flat connections.     

Computing the Conway polynomial of several closures of oriented 3-braids

This paper deals with polynomial invariants of a class of oriented 3-string tangles and the knots (or links) obtained by applying six different closures. In Cabrera-Ibarra (2004) [1], expressions were given to compute the Conway polynomials of four different closures of the composition of two such 3-string tangles. By using the expressions and results from that reference, and using an algorithm developed on the basis of Giller?s calculations for 3-string tangles, we provide new results concerning six closures of 3-braids. Surprisingly, for 3-braids two of the closures turn out to be affine functions of the four previously defined. Among the contributions in this paper one finds computational tools to obtain the Conway polynomial of closures of 3-braids in terms of continuous fractions and their expansions. An interesting feature is that our calculations yield explicit, nonrecursive formulas in the case of 3-braids, thereby considerably lowering the time required to compute them. As a byproduct, explicit expressions are also given to obtain both numerators and denominators of continuous fractions in a nonrecursive way.