arXiv research

New findings on knot operations challenge a long-standing conjecture.

A counterexample disproves the unknotting number conjecture for a specific knot combination.

Adding an unknot to any link equals its bridge number and meridional rank.

Proof of Knot Entropy Conjecture for tube lattice polygons.

We show that there is a knot satisfying the property that for each minimal crossing number diagram of the knot and each single crossing of the diagram, changing the crossing results in a diagram for a knot whose unknotting number is at least that of the original knot, thus giving a counterexample to the Bernhard-Jablan…

Using unknotting number, we introduce a link diagram invariant of Hass and Nowik type, which changes at most by 2 under a Reidemeister move. As an application, we show that a certain infinite sequence of diagrams of the trivial two-component link need quadratic number of Reidemeister moves for being unknotted with resp…

We show that the page at which the Lee spectral sequence collapses gives a bound on the unknotting number, u(K). In particular, for knots with u(K)<3, we show that the Lee spectral sequence must collapse at the E_2 page. An immediate corollary is that the Knight Move Conjecture is true when u(K)<3.

We prove new results about unknotting fibered positive knots and braids.

Study on hard Legendrian unknots using normal rulings.

We show how the signed evaluations of link polynomials can be used to calculate unknotting numbers. We use the Jones-Rong value of the Brandt-Lickorish-Millett-Ho polynomial Q to calculate the unknotting numbers of 8_{16}, 9_{49} and 6 further new entries in Kawauchi's tables. Another method is developed by applying an…

The Jones unknot conjecture states that the Jones polynomial distinguishes the unknot from nontrivial knots. We prove it for knots up to 23 crossings.

We provide a partial classification of the 3-strand pretzel knots $K = P(p,q,r)$ with unknotting number one. Following the classification by Kobayashi and Scharlemann-Thompson for all parameters odd, we treat the remaining families with $r$ even. We discover that there are only four possible subfamilies which may satis…

Verifies knot conjecture for 24-crossing knots.

Vertex distortion detects if a knot is unknot.

Knots without 2-torsion have minimal Khovanov homology rank.

Study inequalities between knot invariants and compute new bounds.

We found an infinite family of counterexamples to Batson's conjecture.

Paper determines 2-adjacent knots up to 12 crossings.

The only knots that are tunnel number one and genus one are those that are already known: 2-bridge knots obtained by plumbing together two unknotted annuli and the satellite examples classified by Eudave-Munoz and by Morimoto-Sakuma. This confirms a conjecture first made by Goda and Teragaito.

New unknots with geometric constraints exist, proving a long-standing conjecture.

We proved by computer enumeration that the Jones polynomial distinguishes the unknot for knots up to 22 crossings. Following an approach of Yamada, we generated knot diagrams by inserting algebraic tangles into Conway polyhedra, computed their Jones polynomials by a divide-and-conquer method, and tested those with triv…

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…

It has been conjectured that for knots $K$ and $K'$ in $S^3$, $w(K#K')= w(K)+w(K')-2$. Scharlemann and Thompson have proposed potential counterexamples to this conjecture. For every $n$, they proposed a family of knots ${K^n_i}$ for which they conjectured that $w(B^n#K^n_i)=w(K^n_i)$ where $B^n$ is a bridge number $n$ …

The Knight Move Conjecture claims that the Khovanov homology of any knot decomposes as direct sums of some "knight move" pairs and a single "pawn move" pair. This is true for instance whenever the Lee spectral sequence from Khovanov homology to Q^2 converges on the second page, as it does for all alternating knots and …

Shows large unknotting number for simple knots.

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

Agent finds unknotting sequences for complex knots.

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

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

In the present paper a criteria for a rectangular diagram to admit a simplification is given in terms of Legendrian knots. It is shown that there are two types of simplifications which are mutually independent in a sense. A new proof of the monotonic simplification theorem for the unknot is given. It is shown that a mi…

Lower bounds on unknotting number for cabled 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…

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…

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…

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…

New measure shows how links can be untangled as twists increase.

Grid homology shows knot unknotting lower bound.

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

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

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…

The unknotting number of a knot is the minimum number of crossings one must change to turn that knot into the unknot. The algebraic unknotting number is the minimum number of crossing changes needed to transform a knot into an Alexander polynomial-one knot. We work with a generalization of unknotting number due to Math…

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

Category theory generalizes finite type invariants using diagrams systems.

New bounds and examples for sphere unknotting numbers.

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

New method for simplifying knots with specific properties.

Knot 11n102 requires 2 changes to untangle.

Study shows quasi-additivity of Δ-unknotting number for braids.