arXiv research

Study reveals a universal formula for knotting in random equilateral polygons.

The study of knots and links from a probabilistic viewpoint provides insight into the behavior of "typical" knots, and opens avenues for new constructions of knots and other topological objects with interesting properties. The knotting of random curves arises also in applications to the natural sciences, such as in the…

The representation of knots by petal diagrams (Adams et al. 2012) naturally defines a sequence of distributions on the set of knots. In this article we establish some basic properties of this randomized knot model. We prove that in the random n-petal model the probability of obtaining every specific knot type decays to…

We study random knots and links in R^3 using the Petaluma model, which is based on the petal projections developed by Adams et al. (2012). In this model we obtain a formula for the distribution of the linking number of a random two-component link. We also obtain formulas for the expectations and the higher moments of t…

We use the Chebyshev knot diagram model of Koseleff and Pecker in order to introduce a random knot diagram model by assigning the crossings to be positive or negative uniformly at random. We give a formula for the probability of choosing a knot at random among all knots with bridge index at most 2. Restricted to this c…

In a previous work, the first and third authors studied a random knot model for all two-bridge knots using billiard table diagrams. Here we present a closed formula for the distribution of the crossing numbers of such random knots. We also show that the probability of any given knot appearing in this model decays to ze…

We study random knots, which we define as a triple of random periodic functions (where a random function is a random trigonometric series, \[f(θ) = \sum_{k=1}^\infty a_k \cos (k θ) +b_k (\sin k θ),\] with $a_k, b_k$ are independent gaussian random variables with mean $0$ and variance $σ(k)^2$ - our results will depend …

We study random knotting by considering knot and link diagrams as decorated, (rooted) topological maps on spheres and pulling them uniformly from among sets of a given number of vertices $n$, as first established in recent work with Cantarella and Mastin. The knot diagram model is an exciting new model which captures b…

Study on knotting in very long polymer chains, finding Poisson distribution for prime knot types.

We consider a natural model of random knotting- choose a knot diagram at random from the finite set of diagrams with n crossings. We tabulate diagrams with 10 and fewer crossings and classify the diagrams by knot type, allowing us to compute exact probabilities for knots in this model. As expected, most diagrams with 1…

We introduce and study the writhe of a permutation, a circular variant of the well-known inversion number. This simple permutation statistics has several interpretations, which lead to some interesting properties. For a permutation sampled uniformly at random, we study the asymptotics of the writhe, and obtain a non-Ga…

Lower bounds on average genus of 2-bridge knots found.

In this paper we study a model of random knots obtained by fixing a space curve in $n$-dimensional Euclidean space with $n>3$, and orthogonally projecting the space curve on to random $3$ dimensional subspaces. By varying the space curve we obtain different models of random parametrized knots, and we will study how the…

The stick number of a knot is the minimum number of segments needed to build a polygonal version of the knot. Despite its elementary definition and relevance to physical knots, the stick number is poorly understood: for most knots we only know bounds on the stick number. We adopt a Monte Carlo approach to finding bette…

A model of random walk on knot diagrams is used to study the Alexander polynomial and the colored Jones polynomial of knots. In this context, the inverse of the Alexander polynomial of a knot plays the role of an Ihara-Selberg zeta function of a directed weighted graph, counting with weights cycles of random walk on a …

The paper studies random covers of torus knot complements and their statistical properties.

We probe the character of knotting in open, confined polymers, assigning knot types to open curves by identifying their projections as virtual knots. In this sense, virtual knots are transitional, lying in between classical knot types, which are useful to classify the ambiguous nature of knotting in open curves. Modell…

The weights of a neural network are typically initialized at random, and one can think of the functions produced by such a network as having been generated by a prior over some function space. Studying random networks, then, is useful for a Bayesian understanding of the network evolution in early stages of training. In…

Study of knot invariant growth for twisted knots.

The presence of slipknots in configurations of proteins and DNA has been shown to affect their functionality, or alter it entirely. Historically, polymers are modeled as polygonal chains in space. As an alternative to space curves, we provide a framework for working with subknots inside of knot diagrams via knotoid dia…

Develops a method for random manifolds and submanifolds, focusing on 3-ball knots.

Analogous zeta function for twisted Alexander invariants defined.

We explore free knot diagrams, which are projections of knots into the plane which don't record over/under data at crossings. We consider the combinatorial question of which free knot diagrams give which knots and with what probability. Every free knot diagram is proven to produce trefoil knots, and certain simple fami…

Study on typical knots and links using grid diagrams, focusing on size, components, and writhe.

A new knot invariant is fast, strong, topologically meaningful, and fun.

Locates entanglement in curves using knot intensity distribution.

KnotMosaics package simplifies knot theory computations in SageMath.

We present four models for a random graph and show that, in each case, the probability that a graph is intrinsically knotted goes to one as the number of vertices increases. We also argue that, for $k \geq 18$, most graphs of order $k$ are intrinsically knotted and, for $k \geq 2n+9$, most of order $k$ are not $n$-apex…

Efficiently estimates covariance for sparse functional data.

Long, flexible physical filaments are naturally tangled and knotted, from macroscopic string down to long-chain molecules. The existence of knotting in a filament naturally affects its configuration and properties, and may be very stable or disappear rapidly under manipulation and interaction. Knotting has been previou…

The first algorithm for sampling the space of thick equilateral knots, as a function of thickness, will be described. This algorithm is based on previous algorithms of applying random reflections. To prove the existence of the algorithm, we describe a method for turning any knot into the regular planar polygon using on…

We introduce tensor network contraction algorithms for the evaluation of the Jones polynomial of arbitrary knots. The value of the Jones polynomial of a knot maps to the partition function of a $q$-state Potts model defined as a planar graph with weighted edges that corresponds to the knot. For any integer $q$, we cast…

A plane curve is a knot diagram in which each crossing is replaced by a 4-valent vertex, and so are dual to a subset of planar quadrangulations. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new tool for sampling diagrams via sampling of plane curves. At present the most efficient method for sampling diagrams is rejection sa…

It can be conjectured that the colored Jones function of a knot can be computed in terms of counting paths on the graph of a planar projection of a knot. On the combinatorial level, the colored Jones function can be replaced by its weight system. We give two curious formulas for the weight system of a colored Jones fun…

Given a knot K in an Euclidean space E and a finite dimensional space V of smooth functions on K, we express the expected number of critical points of a random function in V in terms of an integral-geometric invariant of K and V. When V consists of the restrictions to K of homogeneous polynomials of degree d on E, this…

Method optimizes knotting pathways in constrained polymers.

The UNKNOT problem solved using natural language processing and machine learning.

New model for links uses meander diagrams and combinatorics.

The paper computes special values of combinatorial zeta functions to reveal topological properties of manifolds.

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

Random walks on braid groups are transient, with specific closure properties for certain braids.

New invariant for square-free integers derived from kei theory.

Improved spatial prediction for massive datasets using SME model.

EuLearn creates diverse 3D topological datasets for machine learning.

Polynomially parametrize interesting knotted surfaces.

New 2-knots found with same knot group but different quandles.

New knot quandles distinguish ribbon knots with isomorphic groups.

Proved colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials for specific knots.