We study quasi-morphisms on the groups Pn of pure braids on n strings and on the group D of compactly supported area-preserving diffeomorphisms of an open two-dimensional disc. We show that it is possible to build quasi-morphisms on Pn by using knot invariants which satisfy some special properties. In particular, we study quasi-morphisms which come from knot Floer homology and Khovanov-type homology. We then discuss possible variations of the Gambaudo-Ghys construction, using the above quasi-morphisms on Pn to build quasi-morphisms on the group D of diffeomorphisms of a 2-disc.
We show that a non-trivial, non-central normal subgroup of the braid groups contains a braid whose closure is a hyperbolic knot with arbitrary large genus. This shows that non-faithfulness of a quantum representation implies that the corresponding quantum invariant fails to detect the unknot. The proof utilizes the Dehornoy ordering of the braid groups.
Let $u(K)$ and $g(K)$ denote the unknotting number and the genus of a knot $K$, respectively. For a 3-braid knot $K$, we show that $u(K)\le g(K)$ holds, and that if $u(K)=g(K)$ then $K$ is either a 2-braid knot, a connected sum of two 2-braid knots, the figure-eight knot, a strongly quasipositive knot or its mirror image.
We study 3-braid knots of finite smooth concordance order. A corollary of our main result is that a chiral 3-braid knot of finite concordance order is ribbon.
We show that a positive braid knot has maximal topological 4-genus exactly if it has maximal signature invariant. As an application, we determine all positive braid knots with maximal topological 4-genus and compute the topological 4-genus for all positive braid knots with up to 12 crossings.
A knot $K_1$ is said to be Gordian adjacent to a knot $K_2$ if $K_1$ is an intermediate knot on an unknotting sequence of $K_2$. We extend previous results on Gordian adjacency by showing sufficient conditions for Gordian adjacency between classes of positive braid knots through manipulations of braid words. In addition, we explore unknotting sequences of positive braid knots and give a proof that there are only finitely many positive braid knots for a given unknotting number.
The genus of knots is a one of the fundamental invariant and can be seen as a complexity of knots. In this paper, we give a lower bound of genus using Dehornoy floor, which is a measure of complexity of braids in terms of braid ordering.
We show that the difference between the Seifert genus and the topological 4-genus of a prime positive braid knot is bounded from below by an affine function of the minimal number of strands among positive braid representatives of the knot. We deduce that among prime positive braid knots, the property of having such a genus difference less than any fixed constant is characterised by finitely many forbidden surface minors.
This paper explores the problem of unknotting closed braids and classical knots in mathematical knot theory. We apply evolutionary computation methods to learn sequences of moves that simplify knot diagrams, and show that this can be effective both when the evolution is carried out for individual knots and when a generic sequence of moves is evolved for a set of knots.
Virtual knot theory has experienced a lot of nice features that did not appear in classical knot theory, e.g., parity and picture-valued invariants. In the present paper we use virtual knot theory effects to construct new representations of classical (pure) braids.
We give some conditions on positive braids with at least two full twists that ensure their closure is a hyperbolic knot, with applications to the geometric classification of T-links, arising from dynamics, and twisted torus knots.
In this paper, we construct invariants of braids, knots and links by studying dynamics of points in $\R^{2}$ and applying the Ptolemy relation $ac+bd=xy$.
We use Ozsváth, Stipsicz, and Szabó's Upsilon-invariant to provide bounds on cobordisms between knots that `contain full-twists'. In particular, we recover and generalize a classical consequence of the Morton-Franks-Williams inequality for knots: positive braids that contain a positive full-twist realize the braid index of their closure. We also establish that quasi-positive braids that are sufficiently twisted realize the minimal braid index among all knots that are concordant to their closure. Finally, we provide inductive formulas for the Upsilon invariant of torus knots and compare it to t…
A pair of surgeries on a knot is called purely cosmetic if the pair of resulting 3-manifolds are homeomorphic as oriented manifolds. Using recent work of Hanselman, we show that (nontrivial) knots which arise as the closure of a 3-stranded braid do not admit any purely cosmetic surgeries.
We calculate the alternating number of torus knots with braid index 4 and less. For the lower bound, we use the upsilon-invariant recently introduced by Ozsváth, Stipsicz, and Szabó. For the upper bound, we use a known bound for braid index $3$ and a new bound for braid index $4$. Both bounds coincide, so that we obtain a sharp result.
In this survey paper we present the $L$--moves between braids and how they can adapt and serve for establishing and proving braid equivalence theorems for various diagrammatic settings, such as for classical knots, for knots in knot complements, in c.c.o. 3--manifolds and in handlebodies, as well as for virtual knots, for flat virtuals, for welded knots and for singular knots. The $L$--moves are local and they provide a uniform ground for formulating and proving braid equivalence theorems for any diagrammatic setting where the notion of braid and diagrammatic isotopy is defined, the statements…
We define the property (D) for nontrivial knots. We show that the fundamental group of the manifold obtained by Dehn surgery on a knot $K$ with property (D) with slope $\frac{p}{q}\ge 2g(K)-1$ is not left orderable. By making full use of the fixed point method, we prove that (1) nontrivial knots which are closures of positive $1$-bridge braids have property (D); (2) L-space satellite knots, with positive $1$-bridge braid patterns, and companion with property (D), have property (D); (3) the fundamental group of the manifold obtained by Dehn filling on $v2503$ is not left orderable. Additionally…
We describe a new method for combinatorially computing the transverse invariant in knot Floer homology. Previous work of the authors and Stone used braid diagrams to combinatorially compute knot Floer homology of braid closures. However, that approach was unable to explicitly identify the invariant of transverse links that naturally appears in braid diagrams. In this paper, we improve the previous approach in order to compute the transverse invariant. We define a new combinatorial complex that computes knot Floer homology and identify the BRAID invariant of transverse knots and links in the ho…
In the bordered Floer theory, gluing thickened torus of positive meridional Dehn twist to the boundary of a knot complement result in the knot complement of increased framing. For a fixed knot K, we construct a direct system of positively framed knot complements and study the direct limit. We also study the morphism space between two type-DD modules, and derive type-DA morphisms from DD morphisms to derive the direct system maps. In addition, we introduce a direct limit invariant from the direct system which can detect non-unstable chains in the type-D module of a knot complement, if the type-…
In this report, I will start by first giving a brief introduction on knots to build some intuition before beginning the more rigorous review in the Literature Review section. There, I will define knot equivalence, the Jones polynomial invariant, braid groups, Hecke algebras, and the HOMFLY polynomial invariant. Next, I will cover some of my independent research regarding the computation of a general formula for the HOMFLY polynomial of the closure of looped coxeter braids. Lastly, I will loosely discuss how this research connects to future research regarding the universal trace in the Plan for…
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin（柏林洪堡大学）；Universität Heidelberg（海德堡大学）；ETH Zürich（苏黎世联邦理工学院）；Universität Regensburg（雷根斯堡大学）；Universidad de Sevilla（塞维利亚大学）
We construct graph-valued analogues of the Kuperberg sl(3) and G2 invariants for virtual knots. The restriction of the sl(3) or G2 invariants for classical knots coincides with the usual Homflypt sl(3) invariant and G2 invariants. For virtual knots and graphs these invariants provide new graphical information that allows one to prove minimality theorems and to construct new invariants for free knots (unoriented and unlabeled Gauss codes taken up to abstract Reidemeister moves). A novel feature of this approach is that some knots are of sufficient complexity that they evaluate themselves in the…
We prove that the so-called t algebra of braids and ties supports a Markov trace. Further, by using this trace in the Jones' recipe, we define invariant polynomials for classical knots and singular knots. Our invariants have three parameters. The invariant of classical knots is an extension of the Homflypt polynomial and the invariant of singular knots is an extension of an invariant of singular knots previously defined by S. Lambropoulou and the second author.
It has been conjectured that the algebraic crossing number of a link is uniquely determined in minimal braid representation. This conjecture is true for many classes of knots and links. The Morton-Franks-Williams inequality gives a lower bound for braid index. And sharpness of the inequality on a knot type implies the truth of the conjecture for the knot type. We prove that there are infinitely many examples of knots and links for which the inequality is not sharp but the conjecture is still true. We also show that if the conjecture is true for K and L, then it is also true for the (p,q)-cable…
Given a knot in $S^3$, one can associate to it a surface diffeomorphism in two different ways. First, an arbitrary knot in $S^{3}$ can be represented by braids, which can be thought of as diffeomorphisms of punctured disks. Second, if the knot is fibered -- that is, if its complement fibers over $S^1$ -- one can consider the monodromy of the fibration. One can ask to what extent properties of these surface diffeomorphisms dictate topological properties of the corresponding knot. In this article we collect observations, conjectures, and questions addressing this, from both the braid perspective…
Motivated by the works of Krasner [arXiv:0801.4018] and Lobb [arXiv:1103.1412], we simplify the Khovanov-Rozansky chain complexes of open 2-braids. As an application, we show that, for a knot containing a "long" 2-braid, the sl(N) Rasmussen invariant of this knot depends linearly on the length of this 2-braid. We refine this result for (2,2k+1) cable knots and, as a simple corollary, compute the sl(2) Rasmussen invariants of (2,2k+1) cables of slice and amphicheiral knots.
We present a braid-theoretic approach to combinatorially computing knot Floer homology. To a knot or link K, which is braided about the standard disk open book decomposition for (S^3,ξ_std), we associate a corresponding multi-pointed nice Heegaard diagram. We then describe an explicit algorithm for computing the associated knot Floer homology groups. We compute explicit bounds for the computational complexity of our algorithm and demonstrate that, in many cases, it is significantly faster than the previous approach using grid diagrams.
The Helon model identifies Standard Model quarks and leptons with certain framed braids joined together at both ends by a connecting node (disk). These surfaces with boundary are called braided 3-belts (or simply belts). Twisting and braiding of ribbons composing braided 3-belts are interchangeable, and it was shown in the literature that any braided 3-belt can be written in a pure twist form, specified by a vector of three multiples of half integers [a,b,c], a topological invariant. This paper identifies the set of braided 3-belts that can be written in a braid only form in which all twisting…
