arXiv research

Visual construction of maps linking to two-bridge links.

Proves a property of certain 3D knots and links.

We give upper bounds of the Matveev complexities of two-bridge link complements by constructing their spines explicitly. In particular, we determine the complexities for an infinite sequence of two-bridge links corresponding to the continued fractions of the form [2,1,...,1,2]. We also give upper bounds for the 3-manif…

We give an $O(p^{2})$ time algorithm to compute the generalized Heegaard Floer complexes $A_{s_{1},s_{2}}^{-}(\overrightarrow{L})$'s for a two-bridge link $\overrightarrow{L}=b(p,q)$ by using nice diagrams. Using the link surgery formula of Manolescu-Ozsváth, we also show that ${\bf HF}^{-}$ and their $d$-invariants of…

We calculate the Kauffman bracket skein module (KBSM) of the complement of all two-bridge links. For a two-bridge link, we show that the KBSM of its complement is free over the ring $\BC[t^{\pm 1}]$ and when reducing $t=-1$, it is isomorphic to the ring of regular functions on the character variety of the link group.

Classifies $L$-space surgeries on all two-bridge links

We investigate great circle links in the three-sphere, the class of links where each component is a great circle. Using the geometry of their complements, we classify such links up to five components. For any two-bridge knot complement, there is a finite cover that is the complement of a link of great circles in $S^3$.…

The canonical components of SL_2-character varieties of arithmetic two bridge link groups are determined.

Residual torsion-free nilpotence has proven to be an important property for knot groups with applications to bi-orderability and ribbon concordance. Mayland proposed a strategy to show that a two-bridge knot group has a commutator subgroup which is a union of an ascending chain of parafree groups. This paper proves May…

We compute Cayley graphs and automorphism groups for all finite $n$-quandles of two-bridge and torus knots and links, as well as torus links with an axis.

We consider Conway polynomials of two-bridge links as Euler continuant polynomials. As a consequence, we obtain new and elementary proofs of classical Murasugi's 1958 alternating theorem and Hartley's 1979 trapezoidal theorem. We give a modulo 2 congruence for links, which implies the classical Murasugi's 1971 congruen…

We give necessary conditions for a polynomial to be the Conway polynomial of a two-bridge link. As a consequence, we obtain simple proofs of the classical theorems of Murasugi and Hartley. We give a modulo 2 congruence for links, which implies the classical modulo 2 Murasugi congruence for knots. We also give sharp bou…

New findings on $L$-spaces and taut foliations in hyperbolic links.

In this paper, we give a complete classification of exceptional Dehn surgeries on a component of a hyperbolic two-bridge link in the 3-sphere.

We compute the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number for a Legendrian two-bridge knot or oriented two-bridge link in standard contact R^3, by showing that the upper bound given by the Kauffman polynomial is sharp. As an application, we present a table of maximal Thurston-Bennequin numbers for prime knots with nine or fewer…

We compute the reduced version of Khovanov and Rozansky's sl(N) homology for two-bridge knots and links. The answer is expressed in terms of the HOMFLY polynomial and signature.

We prove the hyperbolization theorem for punctured torus bundles and two-bridge link complements by decomposing them into ideal tetrahedra which are then given hyperbolic structures, following Rivin's volume maximization principle.

Hasse-Weil zeta functions of SL_2-character varieties of arithmetic two bridge link groups are determined. Special values of the zeta functions at s=0,1,2 are also investigated.

We give a list of hyperbolic two-bridge links which includes all such links with complete exceptional surgeries, i.e., Dehn surgeries on both components which yield non-hyperbolic manifolds but whose all the proper sub-fillings give hyperbolic manifolds. Also all the candidate slopes of complete exceptional surgeries f…

We define the Thurston-Bennequin polytope of a two-component link as the convex hull of all pairs of integers that arise as framings of a Legendrian representative. The main result of this paper is a description of the Thurston-Bennequin polytope for two-bridge links. As an application, we construct non-quasipositive s…

Quasi-alternating links of determinant 1, 2, 3, and 5 were previously classified by Greene and Teragaito, who showed that the only such links are two-bridge. In this paper, we extend this result by showing that all quasi-alternating links of determinant at most 7 are connected sums of two-bridge links, which is optimal…

This paper improves a result on homology concordance in contractible manifolds and two bridge links.

To better understand the fundamental quandle of a knot or link, it can be useful to look at finite quotients of the quandle. One such quotient is the $n$-quandle (or, when $n=2$, the {\em involutory} quandle). Hoste and Shanahan \cite{HS2} gave a complete list of the links which have finite $n$-quandles; it remained to…

TQFT signatures linked to trace fields of knots.

We show that all two-bridge knot and link complements are virtually fibered. We also show that spherical Montesinos knot and link complements are virtually fibered. This is accomplished by showing that such knot complements are finitely covered by great circle link complements.

The paper proves limitations on hyperbolic knot complements with hidden symmetries.

We propose a method to compute complex volume of 2-bridge link complements. Our construction sheds light on a relationship between cluster variables with coefficients and canonical decompositions of link complements.

Study on pretzel knots showing cyclic branched covers are L-spaces.

For each three-bridge link of a certain form, we construct a taut Seifert surface for the link and establish whether the link is fibred. Using this, we also give the genus and fibredness of satellite knots whose pattern is constructed from a two-component two-bridge link in the case not addressed by work of Hirasawa an…

The first examples of totally geodesic Seifert surfaces are constructed for hyperbolic knots and links, including both free and totally knotted surfaces. Then it is proved that two bridge knot complements cannot contain totally geodesic orientable surfaces.

We consider closed orientable 3-dimensional hyperbolic manifolds which are cyclic branched coverings of the 3-sphere, with branching set being a two-bridge knot (or link). We establish two-sided linear bounds depending on the order of the covering for the Matveev complexity of the covering manifold. The lower estimate …

We prove the meridional rank conjecture for twisted links and arborescent links associated to bipartite trees with even weights. These links are substantial generalizations of pretzels and two-bridge links, respectively. Lower bounds on meridional rank are obtained via Coxeter quotients of the groups of link complement…

This note shows that if two elements of equal trace (e.g., conjugate elements) generate an arithmetic two-bridge knot or link group, then the elements are parabolic. This includes the figure-eight knot and Whitehead link groups. Similarly, if two conjugate elements generate the trefoil knot group, then the elements are…

Utilizing both twisting and writhing, we construct integral tangles with few sticks, leading to an efficient method for constructing polygonal 2-bridge links. Let L be a two bridge link with crossing number c, stick number s, and n tangles. It is shown that s is less than or equal to 2/3 c + 2n+3 . We also show that if…

Two-bridge ribbon knots have symmetric union presentations.

The study calculates braid indices for two-bridge knots and proves inequalities.

Recently, the explicit volume formulae for hyperbolic cone-manifolds, whose underlying space is the 3-sphere and the singular set is the knot $4_1$ and the links $5^2_1$ and $6^2_2$, have been obtained by the second named author and his collaborators. In this paper we explicitly find the hyperbolic volume for cone-mani…

Explicit formula for Reidemeister torsion of two-bridge knots.

In this paper, we demonstrate that the complete hyperbolic structure of various two-bridge knots and links cannot be deformed to an inequivalent strictly convex projective structure. We also prove a complementary result showing that under certain rigidity hypotheses, branched covers of amphicheiral knots admit non-triv…

We consider the double twist link $J(2m+1, 2n+1)$ which is the two-bridge link corresponding to the continued fraction $(2m+1)-1/(2n+1)$. It is known that $J(2m+1, 2n+1)$ has reducible nonabelian $SL_2(\mathbb{C})$-character variety if and only if $m=n$. In this paper we give a formula for the volume of hyperbolic cone…

An $L$-space link is a link in $S^3$ on which all large surgeries are $L$-spaces. In this paper, we initiate a general study of the definitions, properties, and examples of $L$-space links. In particular, we find many hyperbolic $L$-space links, including some chain links and two-bridge links; from them, we obtain many…

Study determines $Δ$-unknotting numbers for two-bridge knots.

Formula calculates volume of two-bridge knots.

We solve the isomorphism problem for the whole class of Lins-Mandel gems (graphs encoded manifolds). We also present certain homeomorphisms of branched cyclic coverings of two-bridge hyperbolic links. As a consequence, we prove that, in in a wide subset of interesting cases, the isomorphism conditions for Lins-Mandel g…

In this paper, we show that any unknotting tunnel for a two bridge knot is isotopic to either one of known ones. This together with Morimoto-Sakuma's result gives the complete classification of unknotting tunnels for two bridge knots up to isotopies and homeomorphisms.

We give explicit formulae for the volumes of hyperbolic cone-manifolds of double twist knots, a class of two-bridge knots which includes twist knots and two-bridge knots with Conway notation $C(2n,3)$. We also study the Riley polynomial of a class of one-relator groups which includes two-bridge knot groups.

We prove there are exactly 16 arithmetic lattices of hyperbolic 3-space which are generated by two elements of finite orders p and q with p,q at least six. We also verify a conjecture of H.M. Hilden, M.T. Lozano, and J.M. Montesinos concerning the orders of the singular sets of arithmetic orbifold Dehn surgeries on two…

Simple condition proves when 2-bridge knots are quasipositive.