arXiv research

Study of quandle coloring quivers with dihedral quandles.

We incorporate quandle cocycle information into the quandle coloring quivers we defined in arXiv:1807.10465 to define weighted directed graph-valued invariants of oriented links we call \textit{quandle cocycle quivers}. This construction turns the quandle cocycle invariant into a small category, yielding a categorifica…

Paper studies knotoid chirality using shadow quandle colorings and invariants.

New shifting chain map enhances quandle invariants for links.

Quandle 2-cocycles define invariants of classical and virtual knots, and extensions of quandles. We show that the quandle 2-cocycle invariant with respect to a non-trivial $2$-cocycle is constant, or takes some other restricted form, for classical knots when the corresponding extensions satisfy certain algebraic condit…

We explore a knot invariant derived from colorings of corresponding $1$-tangles with arbitrary connected quandles. When the quandle is an abelian extension of a certain type the invariant is equivalent to the quandle $2$-cocycle invariant. We construct many such abelian extensions using generalized Alexander quandles w…

We construct elements of the third quandle homology groups of knot quandles, which are called the shadow fundamental classes. They play the same roles for the shadow quandle cocycle invariants of knots as the fundamental classes of knot quandles does for the quandle cocycle invariants. As an application of the shadow f…

Hierarchical quandles extend diquandles and multi-quandles for link invariants.

T. Mochizuki determined all 3-cocycles of the third quandle cohomologies of Alexander quandles on finite fields. We show that all the 3-cocycles, except those of 2-cocycle forms, are derived from group 3-cocycles of a meta-abelian group. Further, the quandle cocycle invariant of a link using Mochizuki's 3-cocycle is eq…

Quandle cocycle invariants form a powerful and well developed tool in knot theory. This paper treats their variations - namely, positive and twisted quandle cocycle invariants, and shadow invariants. We interpret the former as particular cases of the latter. As an application, several constructions from the shadow worl…

Quandle cocycles are constructed from extensions of quandles. The theory is parallel to that of group cohomology and group extensions. An interpretation of quandle cocycle invariants as obstructions to extending knot colorings is given, and is extended to links component-wise.

Quandle colorings and cocycle invariants are studied for composite knots, and applied to chirality and abelian extensions. The square and granny knots, for example, can be distinguished by quandle colorings, so that a trefoil and its mirror can be distinguished by quandle invariants of composite knots. We investigate t…

The state-sum invariants for knots and knotted surfaces defined from quandle cocycles are described using the Kronecker product between cycles represented by colored knot diagrams and a cocycle of a finite quandle used to color the diagram. Such an interpretation is applied to evaluating the invariants. Algebraic inter…

As one of the problems in his list [20], T. Ohtsuki proposed to study relations between quandle cocycle invariants and quantum invariants. The aim of this paper is to answer one of those questions. We prove that the coefficient of the finite perturbative expansion of the quandle shadow cocycle invariant defined by $(\Z…

Quantum cocycle invariants derived from Yang-Baxter cohomology.

By using the cohomology theory of quandles, quandle cocycle invariants and shadow quandle cocycle invariants are defined for oriented links and surface-links via broken surface diagrams. By using symmetric quandles, symmetric quandle cocycle invariants are also defined for unoriented links and surface-links via broken …

This paper is a survey of several papers in quandle homology theory and cocycle knot invariants that have been published recently. Here we describe cocycle knot invariants that are defined in a state-sum form, quandle homology, and methods of constructing non-trivial cohomology classes.

The paper explores knotoid invariants on the plane using quandles and cocycles.

We introduce the notion of quasi-triviality of quandles and define homology of quasi-trivial quandles. Quandle cocycle invariants are invariant under link-homotopy if they are associated with 2-cocycles of quasi-trivial quandles. We thus obtain a lot of numerical link-homotopy invariants.

The quandle homology theory is generalized to the case when the coefficient groups admit the structure of Alexander quandles, by including an action of the infinite cyclic group in the boundary operator. Theories of Alexander extensions of quandles in relation to low dimensional cocycles are developed in parallel to gr…

Relations will be described between the quandle cocycle invariant and the minimal number of colors used for non-trivial Fox colorings of knots and links. In particular, a lower bound for the minimal number is given in terms of the quandle cocycle invariant.

Cocycles are constructed by polynomial expressions for Alexander quandles. As applications, non-triviality of some quandle homology groups are proved, and quandle cocycle invariants of knots are studied. In particular, for an infinite family of quandles, the non-triviality of quandle homology groups is proved for all o…

Study Alexander matrices for link quandles and their relation to knot invariants.

We propose a simple method to produce quandle cocycles from group cocycles, as a modification of Inoue-Kabaya chain map. We further show that, in respect to "universal central extended quandles", the chain map induces an isomorphism between their third homologies. For example, all Mochizuki's quandle 3-cocycles are sho…

Homology and cohomology theory for topological quandles computed.

Three new knot invariants are defined using cocycles of the generalized quandle homology theory that was proposed by Andruskiewitsch and Graña. We specialize that theory to the case when there is a group action on the coefficients. First, quandle modules are used to generalize Burau representations and Alexander module…

Study of twisted Alexander matrices for certain quandles and their invariants.

We investigate some algebraic structures called quasi-trivial quandles and we use them to study link-homotopy of pretzel links. Precisely, a necessary and sufficient condition for a pretzel link with at least two components being trivial under link-homotopy is given. We also generalize the quasi-trivial quandle idea to…

The theory of quandle (co)homology and cocycle knot invariants is rapidly being developed. We begin with a summary of these recent advances. One such advance is the notion of a dynamical cocycle. We show how dynamical cocycles can be used to color knotted surfaces that are obtained from classical knots by twist-spinnin…

In this note we prove that for any finite quandle $X$ and any 2-cocycle $φ\in Z^2_{Q\pm}(X; \mathds{Z})$, the cocycle invariant $Φ^{\pm}_φ(K)$ is trivial for all knots $K$.

This paper establishes a correspondence between biquandle and quandle colorings for classical and surface links.

We introduce the notion of a quandle with a good involution and its homology groups. Carter et al. defined quandle cocycle invariants for oriented links and oriented surface-links. By use of good involutions, quandle cocyle invariants can be defined for links and surface-links which are not necessarily oriented or orie…

Homomorphisms on quandle cohomology groups that raise the dimensions by one are studied in relation to the cocycle state-sum invariants of knots and knotted surfaces. Skein relations are also studied.

To study embeddings of tangles in knots, we use quandle cocycle invariants. Computations are carried out for the tables of knots and tangles, to investigate which tangles may or may not embed in knots in the tables.

This paper is a brief overview of some of our recent results in collaboration with other authors. The cocycle invariants of classical knots and knotted surfaces are summarized, and some applications are presented.

New exact sequence links cohomology, automorphisms, and extensions of symmetric quandles.

The homology and cohomology of quandles and racks are used in knot theory: given a finite quandle and a cocycle, we can construct a knot invariant. This is a quick introductory survey to the invariants of knots derived from quandles and racks.

For an oriented knot $K$, we construct a functor from the category of pointed quandles to the category of quandles in three different ways. We also extend the quandle cocycle invariants of knots by using these quandle-valued invariant of knots, and study their properties.

We define the fundamental quandle of a spatial graph and several invariants derived from it. In the category of graph tangles, we define an invariant based on the walks in the graph and cocycles from nonabelian quandle cohomology.

The knot coloring polynomial defined by Eisermann for a finite pointed group is generalized to an infinite pointed group as the longitudinal mapping invariant of a knot. In turn this can be thought of as a generalization of the quandle 2-cocycle invariant for finite quandles. If the group is a topological group then th…

By 2-twist-spinning the knotted graph that represents the knotted handlebody $5_2$, we obtain a knotted foam in 4-dimensional space with a non-trivial quandle cocycle invariant.

New invariant distinguishes singular knots and links.

Symmetric quandles provide new insights into link colorings.

Researchers study chirality in a specific type of torus-covering link.

We give a construction of quandle cocycles from group cocycles, especially, for any integer p \geq 3, quandle cocycles of the dihedral quandle R_p from group cocycles of the cyclic group Z/p. We will show that a group 3-cocycle of Z/p gives rise to a non-trivial quandle 3-cocycle of R_p. When p is an odd prime, since d…

In CJKLS quandle cohomology is used to produce invariants for particular embeddings of codimension two; 2-cocycles give to invariants for (classical) knots and 3-cocycles give rise to invariants for knotted surfaces. This is done by way of a notion of coloring of a diagram. Also, these invariants have the form of state…

We show that the hyperbolic volume of a hyperbolic knot is a quandle cocycle invariant. Further we show that it completely determines invertibility and positive/negative amphicheirality of hyperbolic knots.

We define ambient isotopy invariants of oriented knots and links using the counting invariants of framed links defined by finite racks. These invariants reduce to the usual quandle counting invariant when the rack in question is a quandle. We are able to further enhance these counting invariants with 2-cocycles from th…