We prove that Morrison and Nieh's categorification of the su(3) quantum knot invariant is functorial with respect to tangle cobordisms. This is in contrast to the categorified su(2) theory, which was not functorial as originally defined. We use methods of Bar-Natan to construct explicit chain maps for each variation of the third Reidemeister move. Then, to show functoriality, we modify arguments used by Clark, Morrison, and Walker to show that induced chain maps are invariant under Carter and Saito's movie moves.
We provide a unified framework for proving Reidemeister-invariance and functoriality for a wide range of link homology theories. These include Lee homology, Heegaard Floer homology of branched double covers, singular instanton homology, and \Szabo's geometric link homology theory. We follow Baldwin, Hedden, and Lobb (arXiv:1509.04691) in leveraging the relationships between these theories and Khovanov homology. We obtain stronger functoriality results by avoiding spectral sequences and instead showing that each theory factors through Bar-Natan's cobordism-theoretic link homology theory.
In this paper we prove that every Khovanov homology associated to a Frobenius algebra of rank $2$ can be modified in such a way as to produce a TQFT on oriented links, that is a monoidal functor from the category of cobordisms of oriented links to the homotopy category of complexes.
We introduce the notion of a Khovanov-Floer theory. Roughly, such a theory assigns a filtered chain complex over Z/2 to a link diagram such that (1) the E_2 page of the resulting spectral sequence is naturally isomorphic to the Khovanov homology of the link; (2) this filtered complex behaves nicely under planar isotopy, disjoint union, and 1-handle addition; and (3) the spectral sequence collapses at the E_2 page for any diagram of the unlink. We prove that a Khovanov-Floer theory naturally yields a functor from the link cobordism category to the category of spectral sequences. In particular, …
We describe a modification of Khovanov homology (math.QA/9908171), in the spirit of Bar-Natan (math.GT/0410495), which makes the theory properly functorial with respect to link cobordisms. This requires introducing `disorientations' in the category of smoothings and abstract cobordisms between them used in Bar-Natan's definition. Disorientations have `seams' separating oppositely oriented regions, coming with a preferred normal direction. The seams satisfy certain relations (just as the underlying cobordisms satisfy relations such as the neck cutting relation). We construct explicit chain maps…
We disprove the conjecture of M. Khovanov (math.QA/9908171) on the functoriality of his link homology with polynomial coefficients. This is in contrast to the case of integer coefficients, where functoriality was proved in math.GT/0206303 .
We show if $L$ is any link in $S^3$ whose Khovanov homology is isomorphic to the Khovanov homology of $T(2,6)$ then $L$ is isotopic to $T(2,6)$. We show this for unreduced Khovanov homology with $\mathbb{Z}$ coefficients.
We construct cobordism maps on link Floer homology associated to decorated link cobordisms. The maps are defined on a curved chain homotopy type invariant. We describe the construction, and prove invariance. We also make a comparison with the graph TQFT for Heegaard Floer homology.
We offer an alternative construction of Roberts' totally twisted Khovanov homology and prove that it agrees with delta-graded reduced characteristic-2 Khovanov homology.
Using Dowlin's spectral sequence from Khovanov homology to knot Floer homology, we prove that reduced Khovanov homology (over $\mathbb{Q}$) detects the figure-eight knot.
We give an alternative presentation of Khovanov homology of links with strict functoriality result over integers. The construction uses an oriented $sl(2)$ state model allowing a natural definition of the boundary operator as twisted action of morphisms belonging to a TQFT for trivalent graphs and surfaces.
We define a link homology theory that is readily seen to be both isomorphic to reduced odd Khovanov homology and fully determined by data impervious to Conway mutation. This gives an elementary proof that odd Khovanov homology is mutation invariant, and therefore that mod 2 Khovanov homology is mutation invariant. We also establish mutation invariance for the entire Ozsvath-Szabo spectral sequence from reduced Khovanov homology to the Heegaard Floer homology of the branched double cover.
We introduce Khovanov homology for ribbon graphs and show that the Khovanov homology of a certain ribbon graph embedded on the Turaev surface of a link is isomorphic to the Khovanov homology of the link (after a grading shift). We also present a spanning quasi-tree model for the Khovanov homology of a ribbon graph.
Ozsvath, Rasmussen and Szabo constructed odd Khovanov homology. It is a link invariant which has the same reduction modulo 2 as (even) Khovanov homology. Szabo introduced a spectral sequence with mod 2 coefficients from mod 2 Khovanov homology to another link homology. He got his spectral sequence from a chain complex with a filtration. We give an integral lift of Szabo's complex, that provides a spectral sequence from odd Khovanov homology to a link homology, from which one can get Szabo's link homology with the Universal Coefficient Theorem. Szabo has constructed such a lift independently, b…
In this note we present an explicit isomorphism between Khovanov-Rozansky $sl_2$-homology and ordinary Khovanov homology. This result was originally stated in Khovanov and Rozansky's paper \cite{KRI}, though the details have yet to appear in the literature. The main missing detail is providing a coherent choice of signs when identifying variables in the $sl_2$-homology. Along with the behavior of the signs and local orientations in the $sl_2$-homology, both theories behave differently when we try to extend their definitions to virtual links, which seemed to suggest that the $sl_2$-homology may…
This paper establishes that sutured annular Khovanov homology is not invariant for braid closures under axis-preserving mutations. This follows from an explicit relationship between sutured annular Khovanov homology and the classical Burau representation for braid closures.
In this paper, we introduce the annular instanton Floer homology which is defined for links in a thickened annulus. It is an analogue of the annular Khovanov homology. A spectral sequence whose second page is the annular Khovanov homology and which converges to the annular instanton Floer homology is constructed. As an application of this spectral sequence, we prove that the annular Khovanov homology detects the unlink in the thickened annulus (assuming all the components are null-homologous). Another application is a new proof of Grigsby and Ni's result that tangle Khovanov homology distingui…
Ozsváth, Rasmussen and Szabó constructed odd Khovanov homology. It is a link invariant which has the same reduction modulo 2 as (even) Khovanov homology. Szabó introduced a spectral sequence with mod 2 coefficients from mod 2 Khovanov homology to another link homology. He got his spectral sequence from a chain complex with a filtration. We give an integral lift of Szabó's complex that provides a spectral sequence from odd Khovanov homology to a link homology, from which one can get Szabó's link homology with the Universal Coefficient Theorem. Szabó has constructed such a lift independently (un…
A well-known conjecture of Rasmussen states that for any knot $K$ in $S^{3}$, the rank of the reduced Khovanov homology of $K$ is greater than or equal to the rank of the reduced knot Floer homology of $K$. This rank inequality is supposed to arise as the result of a spectral sequence from Khovanov homology to knot Floer homology. Using an oriented cube of resolutions construction for a homology theory related to knot Floer homology, we prove this conjecture.
In the first few homological gradings, there is an isomorphism between the Khovanov homology of a link and the categorification of the chromatic polynomial of a graph related to the link. In this article, we show that the categorification of the chromatic polynomial only contains torsion of order two, and hence Khovanov homology only contains torsion of order two in the gradings where the isomorphism is defined. We also prove that odd Khovanov homology is torsion-free in its first few homological gradings.
This paper is an introduction to Khovanov homology, starting with the Kauffman bracket state summation, emphasizing the Bar-Natan Canopoloy and tangle cobordism approach. The paper discusses a simplicial approach to Khovanov homology and a quantum model for it so that the graded Euler characteristic that produces the Jones polynomial from Khovanov homology becomes the trace of a unitary transformation on a Hilbert space associated with the Khovanov Homology.
We construct explicitly the Khovanov homology theory for virtual links with arbitrary coefficients by using the twisted coefficients method. This method also works for constructing Khovanov homology for ``non-oriented virtual knots'' in the sense of Viro, in particular, for knots in ${\bf R}P^{3}$.
Khovanov homology is a categorification of the Jones polynomial, so it may be seen as a kind of quantum invariant of knots and links. Although polynomial quantum invariants are deeply involved with Vassiliev (aka. finite type) invariants, the relation remains unclear in case of Khovanov homology. Aiming at it, in this paper, we discuss a categorified version of Vassiliev skein relation on Khovanov homology. More precisely, we will show that the "genus-one" operation gives rise to a crossing change on Khovanov complexes. Invariance under Reidemeister moves turns out, and it enables us to extend…
In this paper, we compute the Khovanov homology over \Q for (p,-p,q) pretzel knots for odd values of p from 3 to 15 and arbitrarily large q. We provide a conjecture for the general form of the Khovanov homology of (p,-p,q) pretzel knots. These computations reveal that these knots have thin Khovanov homology (over \Q and \Z). Because Greene has shown that these knots are not quasi-alternating, this provides an infinite class of non-quasi-alternating knots with thin Khovanov homology.
We lift the characteristic-2 totally twisted Khovanov homology of Roberts and Jaeger to a theory with integer coefficients. The result is a complex computing reduced odd Khovanov homology for knots. This complex is equivalent to a spanning-tree complex whose differential is explicit modulo a sign ambiguity coming from the need to choose a sign assignment in the definition of odd Khovanov homology.
We determine when certain state cycles represent nontrivial Khovanov homology classes by analyzing features of the state graph. Using this method, we are able to produce hyperbolic knots with arbitrarily many diagonals containing nontrivial state cycle homology classes. This gives lower bounds on the Khovanov width of knots whose complexity precludes computation of the full homology.
We show a spectral sequence for the rational Khovanov homology of an oriented link in terms of the rational Khovanov complexes and homologies of the link surgeries along an admissible cut. As a non trivial corollary, we give an explicit splitting formula for the Jones polynomial.
Khovanov-Floer theories are a class of homological link invariants which admit spectral sequences from Khovanov homology. They include Khovanov homology, Szab{ó}'s geometric link homology, singular instanton homology, and various Floer theories applied to branched double covers. In this short note we show that certain strong Khovanov-Floer theories, including Szab{ó} homology and singular instanton homology, are invariant under Conway mutation. This confirms conjectures of Seed and Lambert-Cole. Along the way we prove two other conjectures about the structure of Szab{ó} homology.
For an $m$-periodic link $L$, we show that the Khovanov-Rozansky $\mathfrak{sl}_N$-homology carries an action of the group $\mathbb{Z}_m$. As an example of applications, we prove an analog of the periodicity criterion of Borodzik--Politarczyk using $\mathfrak{sl}_N$-homology instead of Khovanov homology.
The purpose of this paper is to construct and study equivariant Khovanov homology - a version of Khovanov homology theory for periodic links. Since our construction works regardless of the characteristic of the coefficient ring it generalizes a previous construction by Chbili. We establish invariance under equivariant isotopies of links and study algebraic properties of integral and rational version of the homology theory. Moreover, we construct a skein spectral sequence converging to equivariant Khovanov homology and use this spectral sequence to compute, as an example, equivariant Khovanov h…
We introduce a version of Khovanov homology for alternating links with marking data, $ω$, inspired by instanton theory. We show that the analogue of the spectral sequence from Khovanov homology to singular instanton homology introduced in \cite{KM_unknot} for this marked Khovanov homology collapses on the $E_2$ page for alternating links. We moreover show that for non-split links the Khovanov homology we introduce for alternating links does not depend on $ω$; thus, the instanton homology also does not depend on $ω$ for non-split alternating links. Finally, we study a version of binary dihedral…
We classify all links whose Khovanov homology have ranks no greater than 8, and all three-component links whose Khovanov homology have ranks no greater than 12, where the coefficient ring is Z/2. The classification is based on the previous results of Kronheimer-Mrowka, Batson-Seed, Baldwin-Sivek, and the authors.
Examples of knots and links distinguished by the total rank of their Khovanov homology but sharing the same two-fold branched cover are given. As a result, Khovanov homology does not yield an invariant of two-fold branched covers.
We prove that any link in $S^3$ whose Khovanov homology is the same as that of a Hopf link must be isotopic to that Hopf link. This holds for both reduced and unreduced Khovanov homology, and with coefficients in either $\mathbb{Z}$ or $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$.
We modify the definition of the Khovanov complex for oriented links in a thickening of an oriented surface to obtain a triply graded homological link invariant with a new homotopical grading.
We introduce a local algorithm for Khovanov Homology computations - that is, we explain how it is possible to "cancel" terms in the Khovanov complex associated with a ("local") tangle, hence canceling the many associated "global" terms in one swoosh early on. This leads to a dramatic improvement in computational efficiency. Thus our program can rapidly compute certain Khovanov homology groups that otherwise would have taken centuries to evaluate.
The Jones polynomial is a famous link invariant that can be defined diagrammatically via a skein relation. Khovanov homology is a richer link invariant that categorifies the Jones polynomial. Using spectral sequences, we obtain a skein-type relation satisfied by the Khovanov homology. Thanks to this relation, we are able to generalize the Khovanov homology in order to obtain a categorification of the $θ$-invariant, which is itself a generalization of the Jones polynomial.
We show that the cobordism maps on Khovanov homology can distinguish smooth surfaces in the 4-ball that are exotically knotted (i.e., isotopic through ambient homeomorphisms but not ambient diffeomorphisms). We develop new techniques for distinguishing cobordism maps on Khovanov homology, drawing on knot symmetries and braid factorizations. We also show that Plamenevskaya's transverse invariant in Khovanov homology is preserved by maps induced by positive ascending cobordisms.
In this note, we show that if there is a knot in $S^3$ having $\mathbb{Z}_m$ torsion in its Khovanov homology, then there are infinitely many hyperbolic knots and infinitely many prime satellite knots having $\mathbb{Z}_m$ torsion in their Khovanov homology. As an application, we give the first known examples of hyperbolic knots and links with odd (and other non-$\mathbb{Z}_2$ torsion) in their Khovanov homology.
This short note resolves the most important part of the PS braid conjecture while introducing the first known examples of knots and links with odd torsion of order 9, 27, 81, and 25 in their even Khovanov homology.
We show that colored Khovanov homology detects classes of essential surfaces as a direct analogue of the slope conjectures for the colored Jones polynomial. We do this by identifying certain generators of the colored Khovanov chain complex with normal surfaces in the complement of the knot using an ideal triangulation from a diagram.
We adapt Bar-Natan's scanning algorithm for fast computations in (even) Khovanov homology to odd Khovanov homology. We use a mapping cone construction instead of a tensor product, which allows us to deal efficiently with the more complicated sign assignments in the odd theory. The algorithm has been implemented in a computer program. We also use the algorithm to determine the odd Khovanov homology of 3-strand torus links.
Khovanov homology of a link and chromatic graph homology are known to be isomorphic in a range of homological gradings that depend on the girth of a graph. We discuss patterns shared by these two homology theories. In particular, we improve the bounds for the homological span of chromatic homology by Helme-Guizon, Przytycki and Rong. An explicit formula for the rank of the third chromatic homology group on the main diagonal is given and used to compute the corresponding Khovanov homology group and the fourth coefficient of the Jones polynomial for links with certain diagrams.
It is known that the maximal homological degree of the Khovanov homology of a knot gives a lower bound of the minimal positive crossing number of the knot. In this paper, we show that the maximal homological degree of the Khovanov homology of a cabling of a knot gives a lower bound of the minimal positive crossing number of the knot.
We study a notion of distance between knots, defined in terms of the number of saddles in ribbon concordances connecting the knots. We construct a lower bound on this distance using the X-action on Lee's perturbation of Khovanov homology.
