arXiv research

We give a short proof that if a non-trivial band sum of two knots results in a tight fibered knot, then the band sum is a connected sum. In particular, this means that any prime knot obtained by a non-trivial band sum is not tight fibered. Since a positive L-space knot is tight fibered, a non-trivial band sum never yie…

A 2-link with trivial components has a nonribbon band-sum.

Proves special alternating knots cannot be decomposed as non-trivial band sums.

Knots connected via a trivial band sum to connected sum.

Knots from a specific band sum have similar homologies but are distinct.

We prove the following results (1) (2) (3) on relations between $n$-links and their components. (1) Let L=(L_1, L_2) be a (4k+1)-link (4k+1\geq 5). Then we have Arf L=Arf L_1+Arf L_2. (2) Let L=(L_1, L_2) be a (4k+3)-link (4k+3\geq3). Then we have σL=σL_1+σL_2. (3) Let n\geq1. Then there is a nonribbon n-link L=(L_1, L…

We introduce a matrix representation of a chord on a tangle which leads us to representing tangle chord diagrams as stacks of matrices that we call books. We show that band sum moves, Reidemeister moves as well as orientation changes are implemented on \widetilde{Z}_f - a framed link invariant constructed from the Kont…

We generalize the definition of the framed Kontsevich integral initially presented by T.Q.T.Le and J.Murakami. We define an isotopy invariant $\widetilde{Z}_f$ that behaves well under band sum moves.

This is a recreational paper showing that certain linked graphs cannot be separated. The proofs employ elementary covering space theory, an appeal to a theorem of Scharlemann (concerning the band sums of two unknots), and a Jones polynomial calculation.

We give a classification of $n$-component links up to $C_n$-move. In order to prove this classification, we characterize Brunnian links, and have that a Brunnian link is ambient isotopic to a band sum of trivial link and Milnor's links.

Attaching a 2-handle to a genus two or greater boundary component of a 3-manifold is a natural generalization of Dehn filling a torus boundary component. We prove that there is an interesting relationship between an essential surface in a sutured 3-manifold, the number of intersections between the boundary of the surfa…

In a previous paper, we generalized the definition of the framed Kontsevich integral initially presented by Le and Murakami. We also defined an isotopy invariant $\widetilde{Z}_f$ that is well-behaved under band sum moves. Using this invariant we study the construction of the LMO invariant, the Wheeling Theorem, and th…

New method for knot closures from 1-tangles and annulus twists.

We consider non-orientable closed surfaces of minimum crosscap number in the $(p,q)$-lens space $L(p,q) \cong V_1 \cup_{\partial} V_2$, where $V_1$ and $V_2$ are solid tori. Bredon and Wood gave a formula for calculating the minimum crosscap number. Rubinstein showed that $L(p,q)$ with $p$ even has only one isotopy cla…

We give formulas expressing Milnor invariants of an n-component link L in the 3-sphere in terms of the HOMFLYPT polynomial as follows. If the Milnor invariant \barμ_J(L) vanishes for any sequence J with length at most k, then any Milnor \barμ-invariant \barμ_I(L) with length between 3 and 2k+1 can be represented as a c…

We prove that knots obtained by attaching a band to a split link satisfy the cabling conjecture. We also give new proofs that unknotting number one knots are prime and that genus is superadditive under band sum. Additionally, we prove a collection of results comparing two 2-handle additions to a genus two boundary comp…

Polyak showed that any Milnor's $\overlineμ$-invariant of length 3 can be represented as a combination of Conway polynomials of knots obtained by certain band sum of the link components. On the other hand, Habegger and Lin showed that Milnor invariants are also invariants for string links, called $μ$-invariants. We sho…

J.-B. Meilhan and the second author showed that any Milnor $\barμ$-invariant of length between 3 and $2k+1$ can be represented as a combination of HOMFLYPT polynomial of knots obtained by certain band sum of the link components, if all $\barμ$-invariants of length $\leq k$ vanish. They also showed that their formula do…

We show that the Artin representation on concordance classes of string links induces a well-defined epimorphism modulo order n twisted Whitney tower concordance, and that the kernel of this map is generated by band sums of iterated Bing-doubles of any string knot with nonzero Arf invariant. We also continue J. Levine's…

Positive knots are minimal in a specific knot ordering.

Boring is an operation which converts a knot or two-component link in a 3--manifold into another knot or two-component link. It generalizes rational tangle replacement and can be described as a type of 2--handle attachment. Sutured manifold theory is used to study the existence of essential spheres and planar surfaces …

This note explores two questions: (1) Which bigraded groups arise as the knot Floer homology of a knot in the three-sphere? (2) Given a knot, how many distinct knots share its Floer homology? Regarding the first, we show there exist bigraded groups satisfying all previously known constraints of knot Floer homology whic…

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