The slicing number of a knot

A slicing obstruction from the 10/8 theorem

From Furuta's $\frac{10}{8}$ theorem, we derive a smooth slicing obstruction for knots in $S^3$ using a spin $4$-manifold whose boundary is $0$-surgery on a knot. We show that this obstruction is able to detect torsion elements in the smooth concordance group and find topologically slice knots which are not smoothly slice.

New obstructions to doubly slicing knots

A knot in the 3-sphere is called doubly slice if it is a slice of an unknotted 2-sphere in the 4-sphere. We give a bi-sequence of new obstructions for a knot being doubly slice. We construct it following the idea of Cochran-Orr-Teichner's filtration of the classical knot concordance group. This yields a bi-filtration of the monoid of knots (under the connected sum operation) indexed by pairs of half integers. Doubly slice knots lie in the intersection of this bi-filtration. We construct examples of knots which illustrate non-triviality of this bi-filtration at all levels. In particular, these …

On the Slicing Genus of Legendrian Knots

We apply Heegaard-Floer homology theory to establish generalized slicing Bennequin inequalities closely related to a recent result of T. Mrowka and Y. Rollin proved using Seiberg-Witten monopoles.

Immersed disks, slicing numbers and concordance unknotting numbers

We study three knot invariants related to smoothly immersed disks in the four-ball. These are the four-ball crossing number, which is the minimal number of normal double points of such a disk bounded by a given knot; the slicing number, which is the minimal number of crossing changes to a slice knot; and the concordance unknotting number, which is the minimal unknotting number in a smooth concordance class. Using Heegaard Floer homology we obtain bounds that can be used to determine two of these invariants for all prime knots with crossing number ten or less, and to determine the concordance u…

双切结与3维流形在4维流形中的嵌入

Doubly slicing knots and embedding 3-manifolds in 4-manifolds

本文研究了双切结的性质，定义了X-双切 genus，并展示了其在嵌入3维流形到4维流形中的应用，同时探讨了超切 genus和双稳定数的扩展及其可任意大的特性。

Unknotted gropes, Whitney towers, and doubly slicing knots

We study the structure of the exteriors of gropes and Whitney towers in dimension 4, focusing on their fundamental groups. In particular we introduce a notion of unknottedness of gropes and Whitney towers in the 4-sphere. We prove that various modifications of gropes and Whitney towers preserve the unknottedness and do not enlarge the fundamental group. We exhibit handlebody structures of the exteriors of gropes and Whitney towers constructed by earlier methods of Cochran, Teichner, Horn, and the first author, and use them to construct examples of unknotted gropes and Whitney towers. As an app…

An obstruction to slicing iterated Bing doubles

Let K be a knot in S^3. We study the iterated Bing doubles of K, giving a new proof for the following statement: If BD_n(K) is slice for some n, then K is algebraically slice. This result was first proved by Cha and Kim using covering link calculus. We also use this tool, but our proof is substantially simpler and illuminates several generalizations.

Slicing Bing doubles

Bing doubling is an operation which produces a 2-component boundary link B(K) from a knot K. If K is slice, then B(K) is easily seen to be boundary slice. In this paper, we investigate whether the converse holds. Our main result is that if B(K) is boundary slice, then K is algebraically slice. We also show that the Rasmussen invariant can tell that certain Bing doubles are not smoothly slice.

The non-orientable 4-genus for knots with 8 or 9 crossings

The non-orientable 4-genus of a knot in the 3-sphere is defined as the smallest first Betti number of any non-orientable surface smoothly and properly embedded in the 4-ball, with boundary the given knot. We compute the non-orientable 4-genus for all knots with crossing number 8 or 9. As applications we prove a conjecture of Murakami's and Yasuhara's, and give a new lower bound for the slicing number of knot.

Slicing mixed Bing-Whitehead doubles

We show that if K is any knot whose Ozsvath-Szabo concordance invariant tau(K) is positive, the all-positive Whitehead double of any iterated Bing double of K is topologically but not smoothly slice. We also show that the all-positive Whitehead double of any iterated Bing double of the Hopf link (e.g., the all-positive Whitehead double of the Borromean rings) is not smoothly slice; it is not known whether these links are topologically slice.

Doubly slice knots with low crossing number

A knot in the three-sphere is doubly slice if it is the cross-section of an unknotted two-sphere in the four-sphere. For low-crossing knots, the most complete work to date gives a classification of doubly slice knots through 9 crossings. We extend that work through 12 crossings, resolving all but four cases among the 2,977 prime knots in that range. The techniques involved in this analysis include considerations of the Alexander module and signature functions as well as calculations of the twisted Alexander polynomials for higher-order branched covers. We give explicit illustrations of the dou…

签名、切片泡沫与Klein图的交叉变更

Signature, slicing foams, and crossing changes of Klein graphs

本文推广Klein图的签名，建立其与切片亏格和解结数的下界关系，并改进已知解结数界限。

陈-西蒙斯泛函、奇异瞬子与四维 clasp 数

Chern-Simons functional, singular instantons, and the four-dimensional clasp number

本文利用源自等变奇异瞬子理论并与陈-西蒙斯泛函相关的纽结不变量，肯定回答了四维 clasp 数与切片亏格之差可否任意大的问题，同时解决 Livingston 猜想，并研究奇异瞬子 Frøyshov 不变量及其在无向切片亏格、环面纽结表示和协边中的应用。

Normal surfaces as combinatorial slicings

We investigate slicings of combinatorial manifolds as properly embedded co-dimension 1 submanifolds. A focus is given to dimension 3 where slicings are normal surfaces. In the case of 2-neighborly 3-manifolds and quadrangulated slicings, a lower bound on the number of quadrilaterals of normal surfaces depending on the genus g is presented. It is shown to be sharp for infinitely many values of g. Furthermore we classify slicings of combinatorial 3-manifolds with a maximum number of edges in the slicing.

Ribbon-move-unknotting-number-two 2-knots, pass-move-unknotting-number-two 1-knots, and high dimensional analogue

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 following facts. For the ribbon-move on 2-knots, which is a kind of local-move on knots, we have the following: There is a ribbon-move-unknotting-number-two 2-knot. The ribbon-move-unknotting-number of 2-knots is unbounded. For the pass-move on 1-knots, which is a kind of local-move on…

Space-Efficient Knot Mosaics for Prime Knots with Mosaic Number 6

In 2008, Kauffman and Lomonaco introduce the concepts of a knot mosaic and the mosaic number of a knot or link, the smallest integer $n$ such that a knot or link can be represented on an $n$-mosaic. In arXiv:1702.06462, the authors explore space-efficient knot mosaics and the tile number of a knot or link, the smallest number of non-blank tiles necessary to depict the knot or link on a mosaic. They determine bounds for the tile number in terms of the mosaic number. In this paper, we focus specifically on prime knots with mosaic number 6. We determine a complete list of these knots, provide a m…

Additivity of Handle Number and Morse-Novikov Number of a-small Knots

A knot is an a-small knot if its exterior does not contain closed incompressible surfaces disjoint from some incompressible Seifert surface for the knot. Using circular thin position for knots we prove that the handle number is additive under the connected sum of two a-small knots. As a consequence the Morse-Novikov number turns out to be additive under the connected sum of two a-small knots.

Computing Genera of Satellite Tunnel Number One Knots and Torti-rational Knots

The genus of satellite tunnel number one knots and torti-rational knots is computed using the tools introduced by Floyd and Hatcher. An implementation of an algorithm is given to compute genus and slopes of minimal genus Seifert surfaces for such knots.

The tunnel number and the cutting number with constituent handlebody-knots

We give lower bounds for the tunnel number of knots and handlebody-knots. We also give a lower bound for the cutting number, which is a "dual" notion to the tunnel number in the handlebody-knot theory. We provide necessary conditions for constituent handlebody-knots by using $G$-family of quandles colorings. The above two evaluations are obtained as the corollaries. Furthermore, we construct handlebody-knots with arbitrary tunnel number and cutting number.

Crosscap numbers of torus knots

The crosscap number of a knot in the 3-sphere is the minimal genus of non-orientable surface bounded by the knot. We determine the crosscap numbers of torus knots.

Triple-crossing number, the genus of a knot or link and torus knots

We show that the triple-crossing number of any knot is greater or equal to twice its (canonical) genus and we show an even stronger bound in the case of links. As an application we show that this bound is strong enough to obtain the triple-crossing numbers of all torus knots, and of many more knots and their connected sums.

Concordance Crosscap Number of a Knot

We define the concordance crosscap number of a knot as the minimum crosscap number among all the knots concordant to the knot. The four-dimensional crosscap number is the minimum first Betti number of non-orientable surfaces smoothly embedded in 4-dimensional ball, bounding the knot. Clearly the 4-dimensional crosscap number is smaller than or equal to the concordance crosscap number. We construct two infinite sequences of knots to explain the gap between the two. In particular, the knot $7_4$ is one of the examples.

Bridge numbers and meridional ranks of knotted surfaces and welded knots

The Meridional Rank Conjecture asks whether the bridge number of a knot in $S^3$ is equal to the minimal number of meridians needed to generate the fundamental group of its complement. In this paper we investigate the analogous conjecture for knotted surfaces in $S^4$. Towards this end, we give a construction to produce classical knots with quotients sending meridians to elements of any finite order and which detect their meridional ranks. We establish the equality of bridge number and meridional rank for these knots and knotted spheres obtained from them by twist-spinning. On the other hand, …

Unknotting and Ascending Numbers of Knots and their Families

Ascending numbers are determined for 64 knots with at most n=10 crossings. After proving the theorem about the signature of alternating knot families, we distinguished all families of knots obtained from generating alternating knots with at most 10 crossings, for which the unknotting number can be confirmed by using the general formulae for signatures. For 11 families of knots general formulae are obtained for their ascending numbers.

Montesinos纽结的Delta-解结数为一

Montesinos Knots with Delta-Unknotting Number One

本文研究$\Delta$-解结数为一的Montesinos纽结，提出其猜想性刻画，并给出不同$\Delta$-移动将纽结变为平凡纽结的实例。

Classification of alternating knots with tunnel number one

This paper gives a complete classification of all alternating knots with tunnel number one, and all their unknotting tunnels. We prove that the only such knots are two-bridge knots and certain Montesinos knots.

The clock number of a knot

This paper is about the clock number of a knot. First we define the clock number by using states of a knot defined by Kauffman. Next we show that if K is a prime knot, its clock number is greater than or equal to its crossing number. Finally we prove that its clock number is equal to its crossing number if and only if K is a two-bridge knot.

Tile Number and Space-Efficient Knot Mosaics

In this paper we introduce the concept of a space-efficient knot mosaic. That is, we seek to determine how to create knot mosaics using the least number of non-blank tiles necessary to depict the knot. This least number is called the tile number of the knot. We determine strict bounds for the tile number of a knot in terms of the mosaic number of the knot. In particular, if $t$ is the tile number of a prime knot with mosaic number $m$, then $5m-8 \leq t \leq m^2-4$ if $m$ is even and $5m-8 \leq t \leq m^2-8$ if $m$ is odd. We also determine the tile number of several knots and provide space-ef…

Crosscap number and knot projections

We introduce an unknotting-type number of knot projections that gives an upper bound of the crosscap number of knots. We determine the set of knot projections with the unknotting-type number at most two, and this result implies classical and new results that determine the set of alternating knots with the crosscap number at most two.

Virtual unknotting numbers of certain virtual torus 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 on one overstrand into virtual crossings and prove that its virtual unknotting number is equal to the unknotting number of the $(p,q)$-torus knot, i.e. it is (p-1)(q-1)/2.

Branched covering surface-knots with degree three have the simplifying numbers less than three

A branched covering surface-knot is a surface-knot in the form of a branched covering over a surface-knot. For a branched covering surface-knot, we have a numerical invariant called the simplifying number. We show that branched covering surface-knots with degree three have the simplifying numbers less than three.

Slice and Gordian numbers of track knots

We present a class of knots associated with labelled generic immersions of intervals into the plane and compute their Gordian numbers and 4-dimensional invariants. At least 10% of the knots in Rolfsen's table belong to this class of knots. We call them track knots. They are contained in the class of quasipositive knots. In this connection, we classify quasipositive knots and strongly quasipositive knots up to 10 crossings.

Composite tunnel number one genus two handlebody-knots

We characterize composite tunnel number one genus two handlebody-knots.

Epimorphisms between $2$-bridge knot groups and their crossing numbers

Suppose that there exists an epimorphism from the knot group of a $2$-bridge knot $K$ onto that of another knot $K'$. In this paper, we study the relationship between their crossing numbers $c(K)$ and $c(K')$. Especially it is shown that $c(K)$ is greater than or equal to $3 c(K')$ and we estimate how many knot groups a $2$-bridge knot group maps onto. Moreover, we formulate the generating function which determines the number of $2$-bridge knot groups admitting epimorphisms onto the knot group of a given $2$-bridge knot.

The untwisting number of a knot

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 Mathieu-Domergue, which we call the untwisting number. The untwisting number is the minimum number (over all diagrams of a knot) of right- or left-handed twists on even numbers of strands of a knot, with half of the strands oriented in each direction, necessary to transform that knot…

Cube number can detect chirality and Legendrian type of knots

For a knot K the cube number is a knot invariant defined to be the smallest n for which there is a cube diagram of size n for K. We will show that the cube number detects chirality in all cases computed thus far, and distinguishes certain legendrian knots.

Knots with small lattice stick numbers

The lattice stick number of a knot type is defined to be the minimal number of straight line segments required to construct a polygon presentation of the knot type in the cubic lattice. In this paper, we mathematically prove that the trefoil knot $3_1$ and the figure-8 knot $4_1$ are the only knot types of lattice stick number less than 15, which verifies the result from previous numerical estimations on this quantity.

Forbidden detour number on virtual knot

We show that the forbidden detour move, essentially introduced by Kanenobu and Nelson, is an unknotting operation for virtual knots. Then we define the forbidden detour number of a virtual knot to be the minimal number of forbidden detour moves necessary to transform a diagram of the virtual knot into the trivial knot diagram. Some upper and lower bounds on the forbidden detour number are given in terms of the minimal number of real crossings or the coefficients of the affine index polynomial of the virtual knot.

An infinite family of Legendrian torus knots distinguished by cube number

For a knot $K$ the cube number is a knot invariant defined to be the smallest $n$ for which there is a cube diagram of size $n$ for $K$. There is also a Legendrian version of this invariant called the \emph{Legendrian cube number}. We will show that the Legendrian cube number distinguishes the Legendrian left hand torus knots with maximal Thurston-Bennequin number and maximal rotation number from the Legendrian left hand torus knots with maximal Thurston-Bennequin number and minimal rotation number.

Hyperbolic (1,2)-knots in S^3 with crosscap number two and tunnel number one

A knot in S^3 is said to have crosscap number two if it bounds a once-punctured Klein bottle but not a Moebius band. In this paper we give a method of constructing crosscap number two hyperbolic (1,2)-knots with tunnel number one which are neither 2-bridge nor (1,1)-knots. An explicit infinite family of such knots is discussed in detail.

Crosscap numbers of pretzel knots

The crosscap number of a knot in the 3-sphere is defined as the minimal first Betti number of non-orientable subsurfaces bounded by the knot. In this paper, we determine the crosscap numbers of pretzel knots. The key ingredient to obtain the result is the algorithm of enumerating all essential surfaces for Montesinos knots developed by Hatcher and Oertel.

环面结的无向带解结数

The unoriented band unknotting numbers of torus knots

本文研究环面结的无向带解结数，利用无向纽结 Floer 同调的挠阶证明其与可由环面参数计算的 pinch 数相等。

Montesinos 纽结的 Delta-解纽数

Delta-Unknotting Number for Montesinos Knots

本文确定了特定 Montesinos 纽结族的 Delta-解纽数，证明其等于 Conway 多项式第二系数的绝对值，涵盖所有正 pretzel 纽结及部分双桥纽结。

Arc shift number and region arc shift number for virtual knots

In this paper, we formulate a new local move on virtual knot diagram, called arc shift move. Further, we extend it to another local move called region arc shift defined on a region of a virtual knot diagram. We establish that these arc shift and region arc shift moves are unknotting operations by showing that any virtual knot diagram can be turned into trivial knot using arc shift (region arc shift) moves. Based upon the arc shift move and region arc shift move, we define two virtual knot invariants, arc shift number and region arc shift number respectively.

The crossing number of satellite knots

We show that the crossing number of a satellite knot is at least 10^{-13} times the crossing number of its companion knot.

Unknotting number and genus of 3-braid knots

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.

Jones diameter and crossing number of knots

It has long been known that the quadratic term in the degree of the colored Jones polynomial of a knot is bounded above in terms of the crossing number of the knot. We show that this bound is sharp if and only if the knot is adequate. As an application of our result we determine the crossing numbers of broad families of non-adequate prime satellite knots. More specifically, we exhibit minimal crossing number diagrams for untwisted Whitehead doubles of zero-writhe adequate knots. This allows us to determine the crossing number of untwisted Whitehead doubles of any amphicheiral adequate knot, in…

关于编织结的解结数与区域解结数的一个注记

A note on the unknotting number and the region unknotting number of weaving knots

本文定义了辫图的翘曲度，通过对编织结图的翘曲度进行图解与组合检查，给出了某些编织结族的解结数和区域解结数的上界。

Crossing Number Bound in Knot Mosaics

Knot mosaics are used to model physical quantum states. The mosaic number of a knot is the smallest integer $m$ such that the knot can be represented as a knot $m$-mosaic. In this paper we establish an upper bound for the crossing number of a knot in terms of the mosaic number. Given an $m$-mosaic and any knot $K$ that is represented on the mosaic, its crossing number $c$ is bounded above by $(m - 2)^{2} - 2$ if $m$ is odd, and $(m - 2)^{2} - (m - 3)$ if $m$ is even.

Concordance Crosscap Numbers of Knots and the Alexander Polynomial

For a knot K, the concordance crosscap number, c(K), is the minimum crosscap number among all knots concordant to K. Building on work of G. Zhang, which studied the determinants of knots with c(K) < 2, we apply the Alexander polynomial to construct new algebraic obstructions to c(K) < 2. With the exception of low crossing number knots previously known to have c(K) < 2, the obstruction applies to all but four prime knots of 11 or fewer crossings.

On the bridge number of knot diagrams with minimal crossings

Given a diagram $D$ of a knot $K$, we consider the number $c(D)$ of crossings and the number $b(D)$ of overpasses of $D$. We show that, if $D$ is a diagram of a nontrivial knot $K$ whose number $c(D)$ of crossings is minimal, then $1+\sqrt{1+c(D)} \leq b(D)\leq c(D)$. These inequalities are shape in the sense that the upper bound of $b(D)$ is achieved by alternating knots and the lower bound of $b(D)$ is achieved by torus knots. The second inequality becomes an equality only when the knot is an alternating knot. We prove that the first inequality becomes an equality only when the knot is a tor…

Ascending number of knots and links

We introduce a new numerical invariant of knots and links from the descending diagrams. It is considered to live between the unknotting number and the bridge number.

On inequalities between unknotting numbers and crossing numbers of spatial embeddings of trivializable graphs and handlebody-knots

We study relations between unknotting number and crossing number of a spatial embedding of a handcuff-graph and a theta curve. It is well known that for any non-trivial knot $K$ twice the unknotting number of $K$ is less than or equal to the crossing number of $K$ minus one. We show that this is extended to handlebody-knots. We also characterize the handlebody-knots which satisfy the equality.

Unknotting numbers and triple point cancelling numbers of torus-covering knots

It is known that any surface knot can be transformed to an unknotted surface knot or a surface knot which has a diagram with no triple points by a finite number of 1-handle additions. The minimum number of such 1-handles is called the unknotting number or the triple point cancelling number, respectively. In this paper, we give upper bounds and lower bounds of unknotting numbers and triple point cancelling numbers of torus-covering knots, which are surface knots in the form of coverings over the standard torus $T$. Upper bounds are given by using $m$-charts on $T$ presenting torus-covering knot…