arXiv research

In this paper we give an algorithm for solving a main case of the conjugacy problem in the braid groups. We also prove that half-twists satisfy a special root property which allows us to reduce the solution for the conjugacy problem in half-twists into the free group. Using this algorithm one is able to check conjugacy…

We show that any nontrivial reduced knot projection can be obtained from a trefoil projection by a finite sequence of half-twisted splice operations and their inverses such that the result of each step in the sequence is reduced.

We use elementary skein theory to prove a version of a result of Stylianakis who showed that under mild restrictions on m and n, the normal closure of the m-th power of a half-twist has infinite index in the mapping class group of a sphere with 2n punctures.

In this paper we show that the normal closure of the mth power of a half-twist has infinite index in the mapping class group of a punctured sphere. Furthermore, in some cases we prove that the quotient of the mapping class group of the punctured sphere by the normal closure of a power of a half-twist contains a free ab…

Computes Jones polynomial for specific knots.

Paper shows how to embed Möbius bands with many twists and small aspect ratios.

Generators found for a specific subgroup of braid groups.

We collect statistics which consist of the coefficients in the expansion of the generating polynomials that count the Kauffman states associated with certain classes of pretzel knots having n tangles, of r half-twists respectively.

We show that we can obtain a reducible spherical curve from any non-trivial spherical curve by four or less inverse-half-twisted splices, i.e., the reductivity, which represents how reduced a spherical curve is, is four or less. We also discuss unavoidable sets of tangles for spherical curves.

Gordon and Litherland showed that all compact, unoriented, possibly non-orientable surfaces in $S^3$ bounded by a link are realted by attaching/deleting tubes and half twisted bands. In this note we give an elementary proof for this result.

Ozsváth and Szabó conjectured that knot Floer homology detects fibred links. We will verify this conjecture for closed 3-braids, by classifying fibred closed 3-braids. In particular, given a nontrivial closed 3-braid, either it is fibred, or it differs from a fibred link by a half twist. The proof uses Gabai's method o…

We propose a way of computing 4-manifold invariants, old and new, as chiral correlation functions in half-twisted 2d $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ theories that arise from compactification of fivebranes. Such formulation gives a new interpretation of some known statements about Seiberg-Witten invariants, such as the basic class …

We show that any homologically non-trivial Dehn twist of a compact surface F with boundary is the lifting of a half-twist in the braid group B_n, with respect to a suitable branched covering p : F -> B^2. In particular, we allow the surface to have disconnected boundary. As a consequence, any allowable Lefschetz fibrat…

We introduce a construction of pseudo-Anosov homeomorphisms on n-times punctured spheres and surfaces with higher genus using only sufficiently many positive half-twists. These constructions can produce explicit examples of pseudo-Anosov maps with various number-theoretic properties associated to the stretch factors, i…

The hyperbolic volume of a link complement is known to be unchanged when a half-twist is added to a link diagram, and a suitable 3-punctured sphere is present in the complement. We generalize this to the simplicial volume of link complements by analyzing the corresponding toroidal decompositions. We then use it to prov…

In this paper, we study the perturbative aspects of the half-twisted variant of Witten's topological A-model coupled to a non-dynamical gauge field with Kahler target space X being a G-manifold. Our main objective is to furnish a purely physical interpretation of the equivariant cohomology of the chiral de Rham complex…

A $4$-move is a local operation for links consisting in replacing two parallel arcs by four half twists. At the present time, it is not known if this induces an unkotting operation for knots. Studying the Dabkowski-Sahi invariant, we prove that any invariant of knots based on the fundamental group $π_1(S^3\setminus K)$…

New skein exact triangles for link Floer homology.

Virtual knots can be transformed by $2k$-moves, affecting their writhes.

Let $K_{(m,p)}$ denote the family of double twist knots where $2m-1$ and $2p$ are non-zero integers denoting the number of half-twists in each region. Using a result of Takata, we prove a formula for the colored Jones polynomial of $K_{(-m,-p)}$ and $K_{(-m,p)}$. The latter case leads to new families of $q$-hypergeomet…

We introduce a pair of isospectral but non-isometric compact flat 3-manifolds called Tetra (a tetracosm) and Didi (a didicosm). The closed geodesics of Tetra and Didi are very different. Where Tetra has two quarter-twisting geodesics of the shortest length, Didi has four half-twisting geodesics. Nevertheless, these spa…

The braided Thompson group $\mathcal B$ is an asymptotic mapping class group of a sphere punctured along the standard Cantor set, endowed with a rigid structure. Inspired from the case of finite type surfaces we consider a Hatcher-Thurston cell complex whose vertices are asymptotically trivial pants decompositions. We …

The paper finds canonical triangulations for specific 3-manifolds.

In this paper we study the homeomorphisms of the disk that are liftable with respect to a simple branched covering. Since any such homeomorphism maps the branch set of the covering onto itself and liftability is invariant up to isotopy fixing the branch set, we are dealing in fact with liftable braids. We prove that th…

Let $β$ be a braid on $n$ strands, with exponent sum $w$. Let $Δ$ be the Garside half-twist braid. We prove that the coefficient of $v^{w-n+1}$ in the Homfly polynomial of the closure of $β$ agrees with $(-1)^{n-1}$ times the coefficient of $v^{w+n^2-1}$ in the Homfly polynomial of the closure of $βΔ^2$. This coinciden…

The reductivity of a spherical curve is the minimal number of a local transformation called an inverse-half-twisted splice required to obtain a reducible spherical curve from the spherical curve. It is unknown if there exists a spherical curve whose reductivity is four. In this paper, an unavoidable set of configuratio…

The study characterizes subgroups of braid groups and their finite quotients.

This paper contains two topics, the index of a power subgroup in the mapping class group $\mathcal{M}(0,2n)$ of a $2n$-punctured sphere and in the hyperelliptic mapping class group $Δ(g,0)$ of an oriented closed surface of genus $g$. The main tool is a projective representation of $\mathcal{M}(0,2n)$ obtained through t…

A new presentation of a quotient of braid groups leads to a new type of Burnside group.

The braid group $B_{n}$, endowed with Artin's presentation, admits two distinguished involutions. One is the anti-automorphism ${\rm{rev}}: B_{n} \to B_{n}$, $v \mapsto \bar{v}$, defined by reading braids in the reverse order (from right to left instead of left to right). Another one is the conjugation $τ:x \mapsto Δ^{…

The study finds infinitely many twist knot complements with totally geodesic surfaces.

Study geodesic flow on symmetric surfaces to determine parabolic type.

The paper classifies hyperbolic and satellite T-links formed by twisting.

We define a measure of "complexity" of a braid which is natural with respect to both an algebraic and a geometric point of view. Algebraically, we modify the standard notion of the length of a braid by introducing generators $Δ\_{ij}$, which are Garside-like half-twists involving strings $i$ through $j$, and by countin…

Agol has conjectured that minimally twisted n-chain links are the smallest volume hyperbolic manifolds with n cusps, for n at most 10. In his thesis, Venzke mentions that these cannot be smallest volume for n at least 11, but does not provide a proof. In this paper, we give a proof of Venzke's statement for a number of…

Study identifies roots of hyperelliptic involutions and braid groups in mapping class groups.

Generalizes Seifert algorithm to integral homology spheres.

We determine p-colorability of the paradromic rings. These rings arise by generalizing the well-known experiment of bisecting a Mobius strip. Instead of joining the ends with a single half twist, use $m$ twists, and, rather than bisecting ($n = 2$), cut the strip into $n$ sections. We call the resulting collection of t…

Study Drinfeld centralizers and Rouquier complexes in homotopy categories.

Geometric proof confirms link volume conjecture.

Relates two types of skein algebras using explicit correspondences.

A 3-manifold is foliar if it supports a codimension-one co-oriented taut foliation. Suppose $M$ is an oriented 3-manifold with connected boundary a torus, and suppose $M$ contains a properly embedded, compact, oriented, surface $R$ with a single boundary component that is Thurston norm minimizing in $H_2(M, \partial M)…

Proves bounds on ribbonlength for various knot types.

It is a natural question to ask whether two links are equivalent by the following moves -- parallel parts of a link are changed to k-times half-twisted parts and if they are, how many moves are needed to go from one link to the other. In particular if k=2 and the second link is a trivial link it is the question about t…

Let $K$ be a knot in a rational homology sphere $M$. This paper investigates the question of when modifying $K$ by adding $m>0$ half-twists to two oppositely-oriented strands, while keeping the rest of $K$ fixed, produces a knot isotopic to $K$. Such a two-strand twist of order $m$, as we define it, is a generalized cr…

Study parabolicity of Riemann surfaces via Fenchel-Nielsen parameters.

We construct the first combinatorial 1-cocycle with values in the $\mathbb{Z} [x,x^{-1}]$-module of isotopy classes of singular long knots in 3-space with a signed planar double point, and which represents a non trivial cohomology class in the topological moduli space of long knots. It can be interpreted as an invaria…