The arrow polynomial is an invariant of framed oriented virtual links that generalizes the virtual Kauffman bracket. In this paper we define the homological arrow polynomial, which generalizes the arrow polynomial to framed oriented virtual links with labeled components. The key observation is that, given a link in a thickened surface, the homology class of the link defines a functional on the surface's skein module, and by applying it to the image of the link in the skein module this gives a virtual link invariant.
We give a graphical calculus for the homological arrow polynomial by taking the usual diagrams for the Kauffman bracket and including labeled "whiskers" that record intersection numbers with each labeled component of the link.
We use the homological arrow polynomial to study $(\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z})$-nullhomologous virtual links and checkerboard colorability, giving a new way to complete Imabeppu's characterization of checkerboard colorability of virtual links with up to four crossings. We also prove a version of the Kauffman-Murasugi-Thistlethwaite theorem that the breadth of an evaluation of the homological arrow polynomial for an "h-reduced" diagram $D$ is $4(c(D)-g(D)+1)$.
In this paper we give two new criteria of detecting the checkerboard colorability of virtual links by using odd writhe and arrow polynomial of virtual links, respectively. By applying new criteria, we prove that 6 virtual knots are not checkerboard colorable, leaving only one virtual knot whose checkerboard colorability is unknown among all virtual knots up to four classical crossings.
We describe the space of arrow diagram formulas for virtual knot diagrams in the annulus as the kernel of a linear map, inspired from a conjecture due to M. Polyak. As a main application, we slightly improve Grishanov-Vassiliev's theorem for planar chain invariants.
We introduce a new polynomial invariant of virtual knots and links and use this invariant to compute a lower bound on the virtual crossing number and the minimal surface genus.
Checkerboard framings are an extension of checkerboard colorings for virtual links. According to checkerboard framings, in 2017, Dye obtained an independent invariant of virtual links: the cut point number. Checkerboard framings and cut points can be used as a tool to extend other classical invariants to virtual links. We prove that one of the conjectures in Dye's paper is correct. Moreover, we analyze the connection and difference between checkerboard framing obtained from virtual link diagram by adapting cut points and twisted link diagram obtained from virtual link diagram by introducing ba…
This paper is an introduction to virtual knot theory and an exposition of new ideas and constructions, including the parity bracket polynomial, the arrow polynomial, the parity arrow polynomial and categorifications of the arrow polynomial. The paper is relatively self-contained and it describes virtual knot theory both combinatorially and in terms of the knot theory in thickened surfaces. The arrow polynomial (of Dye and Kauffman) is a natural generalization of the Jones polynomial, obtained by using the oriented structure of diagrams in the state sum. The paper discusses uses of parity pione…
Two categorifications are given for the arrow polynomial, an extension of the Kauffman bracket polynomial for virtual knots. The arrow polynomial extends the bracket polynomial to infinitely many variables, each variable corresponding to an integer {\it arrow number} calculated from each loop in an oriented state summation for the bracket. The categorifications are based on new gradings associated with these arrow numbers, and give homology theories associated with oriented virtual knots and links via extra structure on the Khovanov chain complex. Applications are given to the estimation of vi…
In this note, we show that, if a pseudo-Anosov map $ϕ:S\to S$ admits a finite cover whose action on the first homology has spectral radius greater than $1$, then the monodromy of any fibered structure of any finite cover of the mapping torus $M_ϕ$ has the same property.
For any pseudo-Anosov automorphism on an orientable closed surface, an inquality is established bounding certain growth of virtual homological eigenvalues with the Weil--Petersson translation length. The new inquality fits nicely with other known inequalities due to Kojima and McShane, and due to Lê. The new quantity to be considered is the square sum of the logarithmic radii of the homological eigenvalues (with multiplicity) outside the complex unit circle, called the homological Jensen square sum. The main theorem is as follows. For any cofinal sequence of regular finite covers of a given su…
In this paper, we will use Kahn-Markovic's almost totally geodesic surfaces to construct certain $π_1$-injective 2-complexes in closed hyperbolic 3-manifolds. Such 2-complexes are locally almost totally geodesic except along a 1-dimensional subcomplex. Using Agol and Wise's result that fundamental groups of hyperbolic 3-manifolds are LERF and quasi-convex subgroups are virtual retract, we will show that closed hyperbolic 3-manifolds virtually contain any prescribed homological torsion: For any finite abelian group $A$, and any closed hyperbolic 3-manifold $M$, there exists a finite cover $N$ o…
We introduce an additional structure on ribbon graphs, arrow structure. We extend the Bollobás-Riordan polynomial to ribbon graph with this structure. The extended polynomial satisfies the contraction-deletion relations and naturally behaves with respect to the partial duality of ribbon graphs. We construct an arrow ribbon graph from a virtual link whose extended Bollobás-Riordan polynomial specializes to the arrow polynomial of the virtual link recently introduced by H.Dye and L.Kauffman. This result generalizes the classical Thistlethwaite theorem to the arrow polynomial of virtual links.
In this paper, it is shown that any surface automorphism of positive mapping-class entropy possesses a virtual homological eigenvalue which lies outside the unit circle of the complex plane.
We prove that given any finite abelian group $A$ and any irreducible $3$-manifold $M$ with empty or toroidal boundary which is not a graph manifold there exists a finite cover $M' \to M$ so that $A$ is a direct factor in $H_1(M',\mathbb{Z})$. This generalizes results of Sun and of Friedl-Herrmann.
Let R f = Z[A $\pm$1 ] be the algebra of Laurent polynomials in the variable A and let R a = Z[A $\pm$1 , z 1 , z 2 ,. .. ] be the algebra of Laurent polynomials in the variable A and standard polynomials in the variables z 1 , z 2 ,. .. . For n $\ge$ 1 we denote by VB n the virtual braid group on n strands. We define two towers of algebras {VTL n (R f)} $\infty$ n=1 and {ATL n (R a)} $\infty$ n=1 in terms of diagrams. For each n $\ge$ 1 we determine presentations for both, VTL n (R f) and ATL n (R a). We determine sequences of homomorphisms {$ρ$ f n : R f [VB n ] $\rightarrow$ VTL n (R f)} $\…
In this paper we construct new invariants of knotoids including the odd writhe, the parity bracket polynomial, the affine index polynomial and the arrow polynomial, and give an introduction to the theory of virtual knotoids. The invariants in this paper are defined for classical knotoids in analogy to corresponding invariants of virtual knots. The affine index polynomial and the arrow polynomial provide bounds on the height (minimum crossing distance between endpoints) of a classical knotoid. We show that classical knotoids have symmetric affine index polynomials.
In the present paper, we develop a picture formalism which gives rise to an invariant that dominates several known invariants of classical and virtual knots: the Jones polynomial, the Kuperberg bracket, and the normalised arrow polynomial.
This paper defines a new invariant of virtual knots and links that we call the extended bracket polynomial, and denote by <<K>> for a virtual knot or link K. This invariant is a state summation over bracket states of the oriented diagram for K. Each state is reduced to a virtual 4-regular graph in the plane and the polynomial takes values in the module generated by these reduced graphs over the ring Q[A,A^{-1}]. The paper is relatively self-contained, with background information about virtual knots and long virtual knots. We give numerous examples applying the extended bracket, including a new…
We investigate an application of crossing parity for the bracket expansion of the Jones polynomial for virtual knots. In addition we consider an application of parity for the arrow polynomial as well as for the categorifications of both polynomials. We present a number of examples found through our calculations. We provide tables of calculations for these invariants on virtual knots with at most 4 real crossings.
We show that, if g is more than or equal to 2, the virtual cohomological dimension of the mapping class group of a 3-dimensional handlebody of genus g is equal to 4g-5 and the Euler number of it is equal to 0.
Laplacian matrices of weighted graphs in surfaces $S$ are used to define module and polynomial invariants of $Z/2$-homologically trivial links in $S \times [0,1]$. Information about virtual genus is obtained.
We introduce an algebra Z[X,S] associated to a pair (X,S) of a virtual birack X and X-shadow S. We use modules over Z[X,S] to define enhancements of the virtual birack shadow counting invariant, extending the birack shadow module invariants to virtual case. We repeat this construction for the twisted virtual case. As applications, we show that the new invariants can detect orientation reversal and are not determined by the knot group, the Arrow polynomial and the Miyazawa polynomial, and that the twisted version is not determined by the twisted Jones polynomial.
We use the Bar-Natan Zh-correspondence to identify the generalized Alexander polynomial of a virtual knot with the Alexander polynomial of a two component welded link. We show that the Zh-map is functorial under concordance, and also that Satoh's Tube map (from welded links to ribbon knotted tori in $S^4$) is functorial under concordance. In addition, we extend classical results of Chen, Milnor, and Hillman on the lower central series of link groups to links in thickened surfaces. Our main result is that the generalized Alexander polynomial vanishes on any knot in a thickened surface which is …
The present paper produces examples of Gauss diagram formulae for virtual knot invariants which have no analogue in the classical knot case. These combinatorial formulae contain additional information about how a subdiagram is embedded in a virtual knot diagram. The additional information comes from the second author's recently discovered notion of parity. For a parity of flat virtual knots, the new combinatorial formulae are Kauffman finite-type invariants. However, many of the combinatorial formulae possess exotic properties. It is shown that there exists an integer valued virtualization inv…
We define a group-valued invariant of virtual knots and relate it to various other group-valued invariants of virtual knots, including the extended group of Silver-Williams and the quandle group of Manturov and Bardakov-Bellingeri. A virtual knot is called almost classical if it admits a diagram with an Alexander numbering, and in that case we show that the group factors as a free product of the usual knot group and Z. We establish a similar formula for mod p almost classical knots, and we use these results to derive obstructions to a virtual knot K being mod p almost classical. Viewed as knot…
We observe that any knot invariant extends to virtual knots. The isotopy classification problem for virtual knots is reduced to an algebraic problem formulated in terms of an algebra of arrow diagrams. We introduce a new notion of finite type invariant and show that the restriction of any such invariant of degree n to classical knots is an invariant of degree at most n in the classical sense. A universal invariant of degree at most n is defined via a Gauss diagram formula. This machinery is used to obtain explicit formulas for invariants of low degrees. The same technique is also used to prove…
In this paper, we study the Khovanov homology of an alternating virtual link $L$ and show that it is supported on $g+2$ diagonal lines, where $g$ equals the virtual genus of $L$. Specifically, we show that $Kh^{i,j}(L)$ is supported on the lines $j=2i-σ_ξ+2k-1$ for $0\leq k\leq g+1$ where $σ_{ξ^*}(L)+2g= σ_ξ(L)$ are the signatures of $L$ for a checkerboard coloring $ξ$ and its dual $ξ^*$. Of course, for classical links, the two signatures are equal and this recovers Lee's $H$-thinness result for $Kh^{*,*}(L)$. Our result applies more generally to give an upper bound for the homological width o…
In \cite {FrKn,Sbornik} it was shown that in some knot theories the crucial role is played by {\em parity}, i.e.\ a function on crossings valued in $\{0,1\}$ and behaving nicely with respect to Reidemeister moves. Any parity allows one to construct functorial mappings from knots to knots, to refine many invariants and to prove minimality theorems for knots. In the present paper, we generalise the notion of parity and construct parities with coefficients from an abelian group rather than $\mathbb{Z}_2$ and investigate them for different knot theories. For some knot theories we show that there i…
Milnor's $\barμ$-invariants of links in the $3$-sphere $S^3$ vanish on any link concordant to a boundary link. In particular, they are trivial on any knot in $S^3$. Here we consider knots in thickened surfaces $Σ\times [0,1]$, where $Σ$ is closed and oriented. We construct new concordance invariants by adapting the Chen-Milnor theory of links in $S^3$ to an extension of the group of a virtual knot. A key ingredient is the Bar-Natan $\textit{Zh}$ map, which allows for a geometric interpretation of the group extension. The group extension itself was originally defined by Silver-Williams. Our ext…
We introduce a polynomial invariant of graphs on surfaces, $P_G$, generalizing the classical Tutte polynomial. Topological duality on surfaces gives rise to a natural duality result for $P_G$, analogous to the duality for the Tutte polynomial of planar graphs. This property is important from the perspective of statistical mechanics, where the Tutte polynomial is known as the partition function of the Potts model. For ribbon graphs, $P_G$ specializes to the well-known Bollobas-Riordan polynomial, and in fact the two polynomials carry equivalent information in this context. Duality is also estab…
This is the first in a series of papers studying w-knotted objects (w-knots, w-braids, w-tangles, etc.), which make a class of knotted objects which is {w}ider but {w}eaker than their usual counterparts. The group of w-braids was studied (as "{w}elded braids") by Fenn-Rimanyi-Rourke and was shown to be isomorphic to the McCool group of "basis-conjugating" automorphisms of a free group Fn. Brendle-Hatcher, tracing back to Goldsmith, have shown this group to be a group of movies of flying rings in R3. Satoh studied several classes of w-knotted objects (as "{w}eakly-virtual") and has shown them t…
