A spanning tree expansion of the jones polynomial

A NEW combinatorial formulation of the Jones polynomial of a link is used to establish some basic properties of this polynomial. A striking consequence of these properties is the result that a link admitting an alternating diagram with m crossings and with no “nugatory” crossing cannot be projected with fewer than m crossings.     

Jones polynomial of knots formed by repeated tangle replacement operations

In this paper, we prove that the Jones polynomial of a link diagram obtained through repeated tangle replacement operations can be computed by a sequence of suitable variable substitutions in simpler polynomials. For the case that all the tangles involved in the construction of the link diagram have at most k crossings (where k is a constant independent of the total number n of crossings in the link diagram), we show that the computation time needed to calculate the Jones polynomial of the link diagram is bounded above by O(nk). In particular, we show that the Jones polynomial of any Conway algebraic link diagram with n crossings can be computed in O(n²) time. A consequence of this result is that the Jones polynomial of any Montesinos link and two bridge knot or link of n crossings can be computed in O(n²) time.     

Ropelengths of closed braids

For a link K, let L(K) denote the ropelength of K and let Cr(K) denote the crossing number of K. An important problem in geometric knot theory concerns the bound on L(K) in terms of Cr(K). It is well known that there exist positive constants c₁, c₂ such that for any link K, c₁⋅(Cr(K))^3/4?L(K)?c₂⋅(Cr(K))^3/2. In this paper, we show that any closed braid with n crossings can be realized by a unit thickness rope of length at most of the order O(n6/5). Thus, if a link K admits a closed braid representation in which the number of crossings is bounded by a(Cr(K)) for some constant a?1, then we have L(K)?c⋅(Cr(K))^6/5 for some constant c>0 which only depends on a. In particular, this holds for any link that admits a reduced alternating closed braid representation, or any link K that admits a regular projection in which there are at most O(Cr(K)) crossings and Seifert circles.     

Hyperbolicity of arborescent tangles and arborescent links

In this paper, we study the hyperbolicity of arborescent tangles and arborescent links. We will explicitly determine all essential surfaces in arborescent tangle complements with non-negative Euler characteristic, and show that given an arborescent tangle T, the complement X(T) is non-hyperbolic if and only if T is a rational tangle, T=Qm*T^′ for some m?1, or T contains Qn for some n?2. We use these results to prove a theorem of Bonahon and Siebenmann which says that a large arborescent link L is non-hyperbolic if and only if it contains Q₂.     

Rational structure on algebraic tangles and closed incompressible surfaces in the complements of algebraically alternating knots and links

Let F be an incompressible, meridionally incompressible and not boundary-parallel surface with boundary in the complement of an algebraic tangle (B,T). Then F separates the strings of T in B and the boundary slope of F is uniquely determined by (B,T) and hence we can define the slope of the algebraic tangle. In addition to the Conway's tangle sum, we define a natural product of two tangles. The slopes and binary operation on algebraic tangles lead to an algebraic structure which is isomorphic to the rational numbers.We introduce a new knot and link class, algebraically alternating knots and links, roughly speaking which are constructed from alternating knots and links by replacing some crossings with algebraic tangles. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for a closed surface to be incompressible and meridionally incompressible in the complement of an algebraically alternating knot or link K. In particular we show that if K is a knot, then the complement of K does not contain such a surface.     

Lattices, graphs, and Conway mutation

The d-invariant of an integral, positive definite lattice Λ records the minimal norm of a characteristic covector in each equivalence class $({\textup{mod} \;}2\varLambda)$ . We prove that the 2-isomorphism type of a connected graph is determined by the d-invariant of its lattice of integral flows (or cuts). As an application, we prove that a reduced, alternating link diagram is determined up to mutation by the Heegaard Floer homology of the link’s branched double-cover. Thus, alternating links with homeomorphic branched double-covers are mutants.     

The hexatangle

We are interested in knowing what type of manifolds are obtained by doing Dehn surgery on closed pure 3-braids in S³. In particular, we want to determine when we get S³ by surgery on such a link. We consider links which are small closed pure 3-braids; these are the closure of 3-braids of the form , where σ₁, σ₂ are the generators of the 3-braid group and e₁, f₁, e are integers. We study Dehn surgeries on these links, and determine exactly which ones admit an integral surgery producing the 3-sphere. This is equivalent to determining the surgeries of some type on a certain six component link L that produce S³. The link L is strongly invertible and its exterior double branch covers a certain configuration of arcs and spheres, which we call the hexatangle. Our problem is equivalent to determine which fillings of the spheres by integral tangles produce the trivial knot, which is what we explicitly solve. This hexatangle is a generalization of the pentangle, which is studied in [C.McA. Gordon, J. Luecke, Non-integral toroidal Dehn surgeries, Comm. Anal. Geom. 12 (2004) 417-485].     

Flag algebras and the stable coefficients of the Jones polynomial

We study the structure of the stable coefficients of the Jones polynomial of an alternating link. We start by identifying the first four stable coefficients with polynomial invariants of a (reduced) Tait graph of the link projection. This leads us to introduce a free polynomial algebra of invariants of graphs whose elements give invariants of alternating links which strictly refine the first four stable coefficients. We conjecture that all stable coefficients are elements of this algebra, and give experimental evidence for the fifth and the sixth stable coefficient. We illustrate our results in tables of all alternating links with at most 10 crossings and all irreducible planar graphs with at most 6 vertices.     

Which trees are link graphs?

The link of a vertex v of a graph G is the subgraph induced by all vertices adjacent to v. If all the links of G are isomorphic to L, then G has constant link and L is called a link graph. We investigate the trees of order p≤9 to see which are link graphs. Group theoretic methods are used to obtain constructions of graphs G with constant link L for certain trees L. Necessary conditions are derived for the existence of a graph having a given graph L as its constant link. These conditions show that many trees are not link graphs. An example is given to show that a connected graph with constant link need not be point symmetric.     

Strict achirality of prime links up to 11-crossing

In this paper we determine all strictly achiral prime links up to 11 crossings. There are exactly four strictly achiral non-trivial prime links up to 11 crossings.     

Recognition by Spectrum of Some Linear Groups over the Binary Field

We focus our attention on the linear groups L _n (2) and obtain some general properties of these groups. We will show then that the linear groups L _p (2), where 2 is a primitive root mod p (p odd prime), are recognizable by spectrum. For example, the linear groups L ₃(2), L ₅(2), L ₁₁(2), L ₁₃(2), L ₁₉(2), L ₂₉(2), L ₃₇(2), L ₅₃(2), etc. are recognizable by spectrum.     

On the height of 2-component links

Let p be a prime and let L be a 2-component link in S³. We define a numerical invariant, called p-height of L, using a tower of successive p-fold branched cyclic coverings of L, and show, in particular, 2-height is algorithmically determined for any 2-component link. Some relationships between p-height and known link type invariants are also established.     

Incompressible pairwise incompressible surfaces in link complements

The central subject of studying in this paper is incompressible pairwise incompressible surfaces in link complements. Let L be a non-split prime link and let F be an incompressible pairwise incompressible surface in S~3 - L. We discuss the properties that the surface F intersects with 2-spheres in S~3 - L. The intersection forms a topological graph consisting of a collection of circles and saddle-shaped discs. We introduce topological graphs and their moves (R-move and S~2-move), and define the characteristic number of the topological graph for F∩S~2±. The characteristic number is unchanged under the moves. In fact, the number is exactly the Euler Characteristic number of the surface when a graph satisfies some conditions. By these ways, we characterize the properties of incompressible pairwise incompressible surfaces in alternating (or almost alternating) link complements. We prove that the genus of the surface equals zero if the component number of F∩S~2+(or F∩S~2-) is less than five and the graph is simple for alternating or almost alternating links. Furthermore, one can prove that the genus of the surface is zero if #(F) ≤8.     

Characterization of 3-bridge links with infinitely many 3-bridge spheres

In an earlier paper, the author constructed an infinite family of 3-bridge links each of which admits infinitely many 3-bridge spheres up to isotopy. In this paper, we prove that if a prime, unsplittable link L in S³ admits infinitely many 3-bridge spheres up to isotopy then L belongs to the family.     

The Scholz theorem in function fields

The Scholz theorem in function fields states that the l-rank difference between the class groups of an imaginary quadratic function field and its associated real quadratic function field is either 0 or 1 for some prime l. Furthermore, Leopoldt's Spiegelungssatz (= the Reflection theorem) in function fields yields a comparison between the m-rank of some subgroup of the class group of an imaginary cyclic function field L₁ and the m-rank of some subgroup of the class group of its associated real cyclic function field L₂ for some prime number m; then their m-ranks also equal or differ by 1. In this paper we find an explicit necessary condition for their m-ranks (respectively l-ranks) to be the same in the case of cyclic function fields (respectively quadratic function fields). In particular, in the case of quadratic function fields, if l does not divide the regulator of L₂, then their l-ranks are the same, equivalently if their l-ranks differ by 1, then l divides the regulator of L₂.     

Epstein–Penner Decompositions and Thrice Punctured Spheres in Hyperbolic 3-Manifolds

Let M be a cusped hyperbolic 3-manifold containing an incompressible thrice punctured sphere S. Suppose that M is not the Whitehead link complement. We prove that a certain arc on S is isotopic to an edge of a Euclidean decomposition of M. By using the above result, we relate alternating knot diagrams and the canonical decompositions. Let K be an alternating hyperbolic knot. On a reduced alternating knot diagram of K, if we replace one of the crossings with a large number of half twists, the polar axis of the crossing is isotopic to an edge of the canonical decomposition for the resulting knot.     

Determining Knotsw and Links by Cyclic Branched Coverings

It is well known that different knots or links in the 3-sphere can have homeomorphic n-fold cyclic branched coverings. We consider the following problem: for which values of nis a knot of link determined by itsn-fold cyclic branched covering? We consider the class of hyperbolic resp.2π/n-hyperbolic links. The isometry or symmetry groups of such links are finite, and their n-fold branched coverings are hyperbolic 3-manifolds. Our main result states that if ndoes not divide the order of the finite symmetry group of such a link, then the link is determined by its n-fold branched covering. In a sense, the result is best possible; the key argument of its proof is algebraic using some basic result about finite p-groups. The main result applies, for example, to the cyclic branched coverings of the 2-bridge links; in particular, it gives a classification of the maximally symmetricD₆-manifolds which are exactly the 3-fold branched coverings of the 2-bridge links.     

SOME APPLICATIONS OF PLANAR GRAPH IN KNOT THEORY

The relationship between a link diagram and its corresponding planar graph is briefly reviewed.A necessary and sufficient condition is given to detect when a planar graph corresponds to a knot.The rela...     

On the Heegaard Floer homology of branched double-covers

Let be a link. We study the Heegaard Floer homology of the branched double-cover Σ(L) of S³, branched along L. When L is an alternating link, of its branched double-cover has a particularly simple form, determined entirely by the determinant of the link. For the general case, we derive a spectral sequence whose E² term is a suitable variant of Khovanov's homology for the link L, converging to the Heegaard Floer homology of Σ(L).