arXiv research

Paper introduces simplified formulas for Milnor's triple linking number.

New formulas link Milnor invariants to Heegaard Floer homology.

Formula for Milnor triple linking number in link diagrams with multiple crossings.

Paper introduces new link homotopy invariants and applies them to 3-bouquet graphs.

Milnor's triple linking numbers of a link in the 3-sphere are interpreted geometrically in terms of the pattern of intersections of the Seifert surfaces of the components of the link. This generalizes the well known formula as an algebraic count of triple points when the pairwise linking numbers vanish.

Paper shows how to represent Milnor's triple linking number using chord diagrams and doodle invariants.

In the 1950's Milnor defined a family of higher order invariants generalizing the linking number. Even the first of these new invariants, the triple linking number, has received and fruitful study since its inception. In the case that $L$ has vanishing pairwise linking numbers, this triple linking number gives an integ…

To each three-component link in the 3-sphere, we associate a geometrically natural characteristic map from the 3-torus to the 2-sphere, and show that the pairwise linking numbers and Milnor triple linking number that classify the link up to link homotopy correspond to the Pontryagin invariants that classify its charact…

Bott and Taubes constructed knot invariants by integrating differential forms along the fiber of a bundle over the space of knots, generalizing the Gauss linking integral. Their techniques were later used to construct real cohomology classes in spaces of knots and links in higher-dimensional Euclidean spaces. In previo…

We give an example of a 3-component smoothly slice boundary link, each of whose components has a genus one Seifert surface, such that any metaboliser of the boundary link Seifert form is represented by 3 curves on the Seifert surfaces that form a link with nonvanishing Milnor triple linking number. We also give a gener…

A derivative of an algebraically slice knot $K$ is an oriented link disjointly embedded in a Seifert surface of $K$ such that its homology class forms a basis for a metabolizer $H$ of $K$. We show that for a genus three algebraically slice knot $K$, the set $\{ \barμ_{\{γ_1,γ_2,γ_3\}}(123) - \barμ_{\{γ'_1,γ'_2,γ'_3\}}(…

We give a simple axiomatic definition of a rational-valued invariant s(W,V,e) of triples (W,V,e), where W is a (smooth, oriented, closed) 6-manifold and V is a 3-submanifold of W, and where e is a second rational cohomology class of the complement of V satisfying a certain condition. The definition is stated in terms o…

We study the Goussarov-Habiro finite type invariants theory for framed string links in homology balls. Their degree 1 invariants are computed: they are given by Milnor's triple linking numbers, the mod 2 reduction of the Sato-Levine invariant, Arf and Rochlin's $μ$ invariant. These invariants are seen to be naturally r…

An explicit polynomial in the linking numbers $l_{ij}$ and Milnor's triple linking numbers $μ(rst)$ on six component links is shown to be a well-defined finite type link-homotopy invariant. This solves a problem raised by B. Mellor and D. Thurston. An extension of our construction also produces a finite type link invar…

We show that the Casson knot invariant, linking number and Milnor's triple linking number, together with a certain 2-string link invariant $V_2$, are necessary and sufficient to express any string link Vassiliev invariant of order two. Explicit combinatorial formulas are given for these invariants. This result is appli…

Any two knots admit orientation preserving homeomorphic Seifert surfaces, as can be seen by stabilizing. There is a generalization of a Seifert surface to the setting of links called a C-complex. In this paper, we ask when two links will admit orientation preserving homeomorphic C-complexes. In the case of 2-component …

We define a notion of finite type invariants for links with a fixed linking matrix. We show that Milnor's triple link homotopy invariant is a finite type invariant, of type 1, in this sense. We also generalize the approach to Milnor's higher order homotopy invariants and show that they are also, in a sense, of finite t…

It is known that every oriented integral homology 3-sphere can be obtained from S^3 by a finite sequence of Borromean surgeries. We give an explicit formula for the variation of the Casson invariant under such a surgery move. The formula involves simple classical invariants, namely the framing, linking number and Milno…

We introduce mod 3 triple Milnor invariants and triple cubic residue symbols for certain primes of the Eisenstein number field $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3})$, following the analogies between knots and primes. Our triple symbol generalizes both the cubic residue symbol and Rédei's triple symbol, and describes the decomposition…

Study shows boundary of Milnor fibre is invariant for certain singularities.

Extended signatures help distinguish non-concordant links.

This talk is a report on joint work with A. Vaintrob [arXiv:math.CO/0109104 and math.GT/0111102]. It is organised as follows. We begin by recalling how the classical Matrix-Tree Theorem relates two different expressions for the lowest degree coefficient of the Alexander-Conway polynomial of a link. We then state our fo…

Given a clover link, we construct a bottom tangle by using a disk/band surface of the clover link. Since the Milnor number is already defined for a bottom tangle, we define the Milnor number for the clover link to be the Milnor number for the bottom tangle and show that for a clover link, if Milnor numbers of length k …

We describe a new approach to triple linking invariants and integrals, aiming for a simpler, wider and more natural applicability to the search for higher order helicities of fluid flows and magnetic fields. To each three-component link in Euclidean 3-space, we associate a geometrically natural generalized Gauss map fr…

Knots and links in 3-manifolds are studied by applying intersection invariants to singular concordances. The resulting link invariants generalize the Arf invariant, the mod 2 Sato-Levine invariants, and Milnor's triple linking numbers. Besides fitting into a general theory of Whitney towers, these invariants provide ob…

The triple linking number of an oriented surface link was defined as an analogical notion of the linking number of a classical link. We consider a certain $m$-component $T^2$-link ($m \geq 3$) determined from two commutative pure $m$-braids $a$ and $b$. We present the triple linking number of such a $T^2$-link, by usin…

Identifies a mod-$p$ triple cup product for rational homology 3-spheres with specific first homology.

Three-component links in the 3-dimensional sphere were classified up to link homotopy by John Milnor in his senior thesis, published in 1954. A complete set of invariants is given by the pairwise linking numbers p, q and r of the components, and by the residue class of one further integer mu, the "triple linking number…

Triple linking numbers were defined for 3-component oriented surface-links in 4-space using signed triple points on projections in 3-space. In this paper we give an algebraic formulation using intersections of homology classes (or cup products on cohomology groups). We prove that spherical links have trivial triple lin…

The paper generalizes the $T$-genus to characterize slice knots and slice genus.

We consider Milnor invariants for certain covering links as a generalization of covering linkage invariants formulated by R. Hartley and K. Murasugi. A set of Milnor invariants for covering links is a cobordism invariant of a link, and that this invariant can distinguish some links for which the ordinary Milnor invaria…

This paper shows how to create surface-links with many triple points.

Every link in the 3-sphere has a projection to the plane where the only singularities are pairwise transverse triple points. The associated diagram, with height information at each triple point, is a triple-crossing diagram of the link. We give a set of diagrammatic moves on triple-crossing diagrams analogous to the Re…

This paper compiles and calculates triple point numbers for surface-links in Yoshikawa's table.

J.P. Levine introduced a clover link to investigate the indeterminacy of the Milnor invariants of a link. It is shown that for a clover link, the Milnor numbers of length at most $2k+1$ are well-defined if those of length at most $k$ vanish, and that the Milnor numbers of length at least $2k+2$ are not well-defined if …

This is a concise overview of the definitions and properties of the linking number and its higher-order generalization, Milnor invariants.

In this paper we present a systematic method to generate prime knot and prime link minimal triple-point projections, and then classify all classical prime knots and prime links with triple-crossing number at most four. We also extend the table of known knots and links with triple-crossing number equal to five. By intro…

Triple-crossing number bound for knots and links, especially torus knots.

A triple crossing is a crossing in a projection of a knot or link that has three strands of the knot passing straight through it. A triple crossing projection is a projection such that all of the crossings are triple crossings. We prove that every knot and link has a triple crossing projection and then investigate c_3(…

We study relations between the Alexander-Conway polynomial $\nabla_L$ and Milnor higher linking numbers of links from the point of view of finite-type (Vassiliev) invariants. We give a formula for the first non-vanishing coefficient of $\nabla_L$ of an m-component link L all of whose Milnor numbers $μ_{i_1... i_p}$ van…

For an $n$-component link $L$, the Milnor's isotopy invariant is defined for each multi-index $I=i_1i_2...i_m (i_j\in\n)$. Here $m$ is called the length. Let $r(I)$ denote the maximam number of times that any index appears. It is known that Milnor invariants with $r=1$ are link-homotopy invariant. N. Habegger and X. S.…

We give a refined value group for the collection of triple linking numbers of links in the 3-sphere. Given two links with the same pairwise linking numbers we show that they have the same refined triple linking number collection if and only if the links admit homeomorphic surface systems. Moreover these two conditions …

The paper concerns the tree invariants of string links, introduced by Kravchenko and Polyak and closely related to the classical Milnor linking numbers also known as $\barμ$--invariants. We prove that, analogously as for $\barμ$--invariants, certain residue classes of tree invariants yield link homotopy invariants of c…

Proves links can be simplified to trivial form in few changes, limiting Milnor's invariants.

Defines new link-homotopy invariants using Milnor's higher order link invariants.

Study of Milnor invariants and ropelength of spherical links.

The Milnor degree of a 3-manifold is an invariant that records the maximum simplicity, in terms of higher order linking, of any link in the 3-sphere that can be surgered to give the manifold. This invariant is investigated in the context of torsion linking forms, nilpotent quotients of the fundamental group, Massey pro…

New Milnor's invariant condition for topologically slice links.