arXiv research

Characterizes unknotted curves on Seifert surfaces of twist knots.

Determining unknotting numbers is a large and widely studied problem. We consider the more general question of the unknotting number of a spatial graph. We show the unknotting number of spatial graphs is subadditive. Let $g$ be an embedding of a planar graph $G$, then we show $u(g) \geq \max\{u(s) |$ $s$ is a non-overl…

New findings on prime theta-curves with simple tangles.

Lower bounds on unknotting number for cabled knots.

In this paper we prove that a certain class of embedded unknotted curves in $\mathbb{R}^3$ evolving under curve shortening flow do not form singularities Type II before collapsing to a point. Our proof uses tools of the minimal surface theory to study a suitable isoperimetric ratio.

We show that a smooth unknotted curve in R^3 satisfies an isoperimetric inequality that bounds the area of an embedded disk spanning the curve in terms of two parameters: the length L of the curve and the thickness r (maximal radius of an embedded tubular neighborhood) of the curve. For fixed length, the expression giv…

We resolve parts (A) and (B) of Problem 1.100 from Kirby's list by showing that many nontrivial links arise as cross-sections of unknotted holomorphic disks in the four-ball. The techniques can be used to produce unknotted ribbon surfaces with prescribed cross-sections, including unknotted Lagrangian disks with nontriv…

Let $K$ be a closed polygonal curve in $\RR^3$ consisting of $n$ line segments. Assume that $K$ is unknotted, so that it is the boundary of an embedded disk in $\RR^3$. This paper considers the question: How many triangles are needed to triangulate a Piecewise-Linear (PL) spanning disk of $K$? The main result exhibits …

Study on knot properties, showing relation between unknotting and crossing numbers.

We introduce a new knot diagram invariant called the Self-Crossing Index (SCI). Using SCI, we provide bounds for unknotting two families of framed unknots. For one of these families, unknotting using framed Reidemeister moves is significantly harder than unknotting using regular Reidemeister moves. We also investigate …

Solves a recursion for Gromov-Witten invariants of the unknot.

Every knot can be transformed into an unknot without cutting.

Arnold introduced invariants $J^+$, $J^-$ and $St$ for generic planar curves. It is known that both $J^+ /2 + St$ and $J^- /2 + St$ are invariants for generic spherical curves. Applying these invariants to underlying curves of knot diagrams, we can obtain lower bounds for the number of Reidemeister moves for uknotting.…

We prove a folklore theorem of W. Thurston which provides necessary and sufficient conditions for primality of a certain class of theta-curves. Namely, a theta-curve in the 3-sphere with an unknotted constituent knot U is prime if and only if lifting the third arc of the theta-curve to the double branched cover over U …

A region crossing change at a region of a spatial-graph diagram is a transformation changing every crossing on the boundary of the region. In this paper, it is shown that every spatial graph consisting of theta-curves can be unknotted by region crossing changes.

We show that there are hyperbolic tunnel-number one knots with arbitrarily high bridge number and that "most" tunnel-number one knots are not one-bridge with respect to an unknotted torus. The proof relies on a connection between bridge number and a certain distance in the curve complex of a genus-two surface.

For applications in computing, Bezier curves are pervasive and are defined by a piecewise linear curve L which is embedded in R^3 and yields a smooth polynomial curve C embedded in R^3. It is of interest to understand when L and C have the same embeddings. One class of counterexamples is shown for L being unknotted, wh…

Determinants of theta curves and symmetric graphs are studied.

Persistent homology can recognize knotting in curves.

The paper extends graph signatures to Klein graphs and foams, linking signatures to knot properties.

Study on hard Legendrian unknots using normal rulings.

Brunnian theta curves in 3D spheres have hyperbolic exteriors.

Agent finds unknotting sequences for complex 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…

The (ordinary) unknotting-number of 1-dimensional knots, which is defined by using the crossing-change, is a very basic and important invariant. It is very natural to consider the `unknotting-number' associated with other local-moves on n-dimensional knots, where n is a natural number. In this paper we prove the follow…

Shows large unknotting number for simple knots.

New invariant measures how many twists are needed to unknot welded knots.

We prove that if an alternating knot has unknotting number one, then there exists an unknotting crossing in any alternating diagram. This is done by showing that the obstruction to unknotting number one developed by Greene in his work on alternating 3-braid knots is sufficient to identify all unknotting number one alte…

Grid homology shows knot unknotting lower bound.

We determine a wide class of knots, which includes unknotting number one knots, within which Khovanov homology detects the unknot. A corollary is that the Khovanov homology of many satellite knots, including the Whitehead double, detects the unknot.

RL pipeline simplifies knot diagrams, including very hard unknots.

This paper concerns the H(2)-unknotting numbers of links related to 2-bridge links. It consists of three parts. In the first part, we consider a necessary and sufficient condition for a 2-bridge link to have H(2)-unknotting number one. The second part concerns an explicit form of composite links with H(2)-unknotting nu…

The virtual unknotting number of a virtual knot is the minimal number of crossing changes that makes the virtual knot to be the unknot, which is defined only for virtual knots virtually homotopic to the unknot. We focus on the virtual knot obtained from the standard (p,q)-torus knot diagram by replacing all crossings o…

A bound on knot unknotting using equivariant signature.

Paper proves uniqueness of bridge multisections for surfaces in 4-space.

Three hard diagrams of the unknot require extra crossings to simplify.

The unknotting number is the classical invariant of a knot. However, its determination is difficult in general. To obtain the unknotting number from definition one has to investigate all possible diagrams of the knot. We tried to show the unknotting number can be obtained from any one diagram of the knot. To do this we…

The unknotting number of a knot is bounded from below by its slice genus. It is a well-known fact that the genera and unknotting numbers of torus knots coincide. In this note we characterize quasipositive knots for which the genus bound is sharp: the slice genus of a quasipositive knot equals its unknotting number, if …

Study on bounds of knot untangling for specific types of knots.

New Boolean algebra method shows knot unknotting number is (c+1)/2.

Every knot can be unknotted with two generalized twists; this was first proved by Ohyama. Here we prove that any knot of genus g can be unknotted with 2g null-homologous twists and that there exist genus g knots that cannot be unknotted with fewer than 2g null-homologous twists.

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

Two algorithms use normal surfaces to detect unknots and prove knots.

Paper shows that for torus knots, the pinch number equals the unoriented band unknotting number.

Spatial embeddings of planar graphs can have higher unknotting numbers than crossing numbers.

Single twist can unknot certain knots, study shows.

New knot invariant λ bounds rational unknotting.

This paper gives infinitely many examples of unknot diagrams that are hard, in the sense that the diagrams need to be made more complicated by Reidemeister moves before they can be simplified. In order to construct these diagrams, we prove theorems characterizing when the numerator of the sum of two rational tangles is…