arXiv research

We give a complete characterization of the topological slice status of odd 3-strand pretzel knots, proving that an odd 3-strand pretzel knot is topologically slice if and only if either it is ribbon or has trivial Alexander polynomial. (By work of [FS85], a nontrivial odd 3-strand pretzel knot $K$ cannot both be ribbon…

The 3-strand pretzel knots and links are a well-studied source of examples in knot theory. However, while there have been computations of the Khovanov homology of some sub-families of 3-strand pretzel knots, no general formula has been given for all of them. We give a general formula for the unreduced Khovanov homology…

Sharp signature bound for 3-strand torus knots proved.

Paper calculates Racah matrices for 3-strand knots, validating conjectures.

Study shows most knots in a family are not slice.

We determine the smooth concordance order of the 3-stranded pretzel knots P(p,q,r) with p,q,r odd. We show that each one of finite order is, in fact, ribbon, thereby proving the slice-ribbon conjecture for this family of knots. As corollaries we give new proofs of results first obtained by Fintushel-Stern and Casson-Go…

New method for calculating colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials for links with different symmetric representations.

Study corrects previous work on knot Floer homology of certain pretzel knots.

The paper calculates Racah matrices for up to 3 strands of knots and links.

We describe the explicit form and the hidden structure of the answer for the HOMFLY polynomial for the figure eight and some other 3-strand knots in representation [21]. This is the first result for non-torus knots beyond (anti)symmetric representations, and its evaluation is far more complicated. We provide a whole va…

We provide a partial classification of the 3-strand pretzel knots $K = P(p,q,r)$ with unknotting number one. Following the classification by Kobayashi and Scharlemann-Thompson for all parameters odd, we treat the remaining families with $r$ even. We discover that there are only four possible subfamilies which may satis…

3-braid knots can't have purely cosmetic surgeries.

Character expansion expresses extended HOMFLY polynomials through traces of products of finite dimensional R- and Racah mixing matrices. We conjecture that the mixing matrices are expressed entirely in terms of the eigenvalues of the corresponding R-matrices. Even a weaker (and, perhaps, more reliable) version of this …

Diagrammatic method calculates knot invariant from tangle decompositions.

This paper is a new step in the project of systematic description of colored knot polynomials started in arXiv:1506.00339. In this paper, we managed to explicitly find the inclusive Racah matrix, i.e. the whole set of mixing matrices in channels R^3->Q with all possible Q, for R=[3,1]. The calculation is made possible …

Using Gauge theoretical techniques employed by Lisca for 2-bridge knots and by Greene-Jabuka for 3-stranded pretzel knots, we show that no member of the family of Montesinos knots M(0;[m_1+1,n_1+2],[m_2+1,n_2+2],q), with certain restrictions on m_i, n_i, and q, can be (smoothly) slice. Our techniques use Donaldson's di…

Kishino's knot is not detected by the fundamental group or the bracket polynomial; these invariants cannot differentiate between Kishino's knot and the unknot. However, we can show that Kishino's knot is not equivalent to unknot by applying either the 3-strand bracket polynomial or the surface bracket polynomial. In th…

We present a universal knot polynomials for 2- and 3-strand torus knots in adjoint representation, by universalization of appropriate Rosso-Jones formula. According to universality, these polynomials coincide with adjoined colored HOMFLY and Kauffman polynomials at SL and SO/Sp lines on Vogel's plane, and give their ex…

Study on Legendrian knots and their non-orientable Lagrangian fillings.

We describe the inclusive Racah matrices for the first non-(anti)symmetric rectangular representation R=[2,2] for quantum groups U_q(sl_N). Most of them have sizes 2, 3, and 4 and are fully described by the eigenvalue hypothesis. Of two 6x6 matrices, one is also described in this way, but the other one corresponds to t…

We compute the reduced Khovanov homology of 3-stranded pretzel links. The coefficients are the integers with the "even" sign assignment. In particular, we show that the only homologically thin, non-quasi-alternating 3-stranded pretzels are P(-p,p,r) with p an odd integer and r greater than or equal to p (these were sho…

New findings on algebraic structure of hyperbolic graph braid groups.

Study shows how certain knots and tori are detected by ideal points in character varieties.

We construct a general procedure to extract the exclusive Racah matrices S and \bar S from the inclusive 3-strand mixing matrices by the evolution method and apply it to the first simple representations R =[1], [2], [3] and [2,2]. The matrices S and \bar S relate respectively the maps (R\otimes R)\otimes \bar R\longrig…

This paper presents a decomposition of the 3-strand Singular Braid Group.

The Magnus expansion is a universal finite type invariant of pure braids with values in the space of horizontal chord diagrams. The Conway polynomial composed with the short circuit map from braids to knots gives rise to a series of finite type invariants of pure braids and thus factors through the Magnus map. We descr…

The Burau representation of 3-strand braid group modulo p is determined and shown to be faithful for small p.

HZ transform applied to knot polynomials reveals hyperbolic knot structures.

The study of random positive 3-strand braids reveals patterns in the roots of their Alexander polynomials.

Using the recently proposed differential hierarchy (Z-expansion) technique, we obtain a general expression for the HOMFLY polynomials in two arbitrary symmetric representations of link families, including Whitehead and Borromean links. Among other things, this allows us to check and confirm the recent conjecture of arX…

Jones-Wenzl projectors lifted to Khovanov spectra, proving knot conjectures.

Adapts scanning algorithm for odd Khovanov homology.

We prove that the quotients of the group algebra of the braid group on 3 strands by a generic quartic and quintic relation respectively, have finite rank. This is a special case of a conjecture by Broué, Malle and Rouquier for the generic Hecke algebra of an arbitrary complex reflection group. Exploring the consequence…

Most simple braids have positive topological entropy.

The study classifies $χ-$slice pretzel links and Seifert fiber spaces.

Improved bounds on volume-det inequality for links with many twists.

New reflection groups derived from torus knots with finite meridians.

Proves Khovanov homology conjecture for 3-stranded braids.

We interpret Coxeter's truncated braid groups in terms of Platonic solids.

We prove that, in the $l$-ball of the Cayley graph of the braid group with $n \geqslant 3$ strands, the proportion of rigid pseudo-Anosov braids is bounded below independently of $l$ by a positive value.

The paper classifies reversible elements in Seifert-fibered spaces and braid groups.

In this work we present a natural surjective map from rigid braids in B_3 (in Garside sense) to SL_2(N). This map provides an upper and a lower bound for the dilatation factor of a pseudo-Anosov 3-strand braid. These bounds only depend on the canonical length of the classical Garside structure of B_3.

We show that every trivial 3-strand braid diagram contains a disk, defined as a ribbon ending in opposed crossings. Under a convenient algebraic form, the result extends to every Artin--Tits group of dihedral type, but it fails to extend to braids with 4 strands and more. The proof uses a partition of the Cayley graph …

The paper proves that certain thin links have only Z2 torsion in Khovanov homology.

New findings on branched covers of quasipositive links and their L-space properties.

New matrices link point motions to braid groups.

Using the band representation of the 3-strand braid group, it is shown that the genus of 3-braid links can be read off their skein polynomial. Some applications are given, in particular a simple proof of Morton's conjectured inequality and a condition to decide that some polynomials, like the one of 9_{49}, are not adm…

We consider subgroups of the braid groups which are generated by $k$-th powers of the standard generators and prove that any infinite intersection (with even $k$) is trivial. This is motivated by some conjectures of Squier concerning the kernels of Burau's representations of the braid groups at roots of unity. Furtherm…