Any knot group is the image of the group of a prime knot by a homomorphism that preserves peripheral structure. In fact, there are infinitely many such prime knots. A related partial order on knots is defined, and its properties are discussed.
Let $K,K'$ be two-bridge knots of genus $n,k$ respectively. We show the necessary and sufficient condition of $n$ in terms of $k$ that there exists an epimorphism from the knot group of $K$ onto that of $K'$.
In the literature of the study of knot group epimorphisms, the existence of an epimorphism between two given knot groups is mostly (if not always) shown by giving an epimorphism which preserves meridians. A natural question arises: is there an epimorphism preserving meridians whenever a knot group is a homomorphic image of another? We answer in the negative by presenting infinitely many pairs of prime knot groups (G,G') such that G' is a homomorphic image of G but no epimorphism of G onto G' preserves meridians.
We have the generating function which determines the number of $2$-bridge knot groups admitting epimorphisms onto the knot group of a given $2$-bridge knot, in terms of crossing number. In this paper, we will refine this formula by taking account into genus as well as crossing number. Next, we determine the number of epimorphisms between fibered $2$-bridge knot groups. Moreover, we discuss degree one maps and $2$-bridge knots uknotting number one.
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.
We consider the relationship between the crosscap number $γ$ of knots and a partial order on the set of all prime knots, which is defined as follows. For two knots $K$ and $J$, we say $K \geq J$ if there exists an epimorphism $f:π_1(S^3-K) \longrightarrow π_1(S^3-J)$. We prove that if $K$ and $J$ are 2-bridge knots and $K> J$, then $γ(K) \geq 3γ(J) -4$. We also classify all pairs $(K,J)$ for which the inequality is sharp. A similar result relating the genera of two knots has been proven by Suzuki and Tran. Namely, if $K$ and $J$ are 2-bridge knots and $K >J$, then $g(K) \geq 3 g(J)-1$, where $…
In this article we study a partial ordering on knots in the 3-sphere where K_1 is greater than or equal to K_2 if there is an epimorphism from the knot group of K_1 onto the knot group of K_2 which preserves peripheral structure. If K_1 is a 2-bridge knot and K_1 > K_2, then it is known that K_2 must also be 2-bridge. Furthermore, Ohtsuki, Riley, and Sakuma give a construction which, for a given 2-bridge knot K_{p/q}, produces infinitely 2-bridge knots K_{p'/q'} with K_{p'/q'}>K_{p/q}. After characterizing all 2-bridge knots with 4 or less distinct boundary slopes, we use this to prove that in…
We consider the relations $\ge$ and $\ge_p$ on the collection of all knots, where $k \ge k'$ (respectively, $k \ge_p k'$) if there exists an epimorphism $πk \to πk'$ of knot groups (respectively, preserving peripheral systems). When $k$ is a torus knot, the relations coincide and $k'$ must also be a torus knot; we determine the knots $k'$ that can occur. If $k$ is a 2-bridge knot and $k \ge_p k'$, then $k'$ is a 2-bridge knot with determinant a proper divisor of the determinant of $k$; only finitely many knots $k'$ are possible.
A partial order on prime knots can be defined by declaring $J\ge K$ if there exists an epimorphism from the knot group of $J$ onto the knot group of $K$. Suppose that $J$ is a 2-bridge knot that is strictly greater than $m$ distinct, nontrivial knots. In this paper we determine a lower bound on the crossing number of $J$ in terms of $m$. Using this bound we answer a question of Suzuki regarding the 2-bridge epimorphism number $\mbox{EK}(n)$ which is the maximum number of nontrivial knots which are strictly smaller than some 2-bridge knot with crossing number $n$. We establish our results using…
A knot is called minimal if its knot group admits epimorphisms onto the knot groups of only the trivial knot and itself. In this paper, we determine which two-bridge knot $\mathfrak{b}(p,q)$ is minimal where $q \leq 6$ or $p \leq 100$.
In this short note we show the existence of an epimorphism between groups of $2$-bridge knots by means of an elementary argument using the Riley polynomial. As a corollary, we give a classification of $2$-bridge knots by Riley polynomials.
A partial order on the set of prime knots can be defined by the existence of an epimorphism between knot groups. We prove that all the prime knots with up to $6$ crossings are minimal. We also show that each fibered knot with the irreducible Alexander polynomial is minimal.
We show that there exist infinitely many examples of pairs of knots, K_1 and K_2, that have no epimorphism $π_1(S^3\setminus K_1) \to π_1(S^3\setminus K_2)$ preserving peripheral structure although their A-polynomials have the factorization $A_{K_2}(L,M) \mid A_{K_1}(L,M)$. Our construction accounts for most of the known factorizations of this form for knots with 10 or fewer crossings. In particular, we conclude that while an epimorphism will lead to a factorization of A-polynomials, the converse generally fails.
Riley "defined" the Heckoid groups for 2-bridge links as Kleinian groups, with nontrivial torsion, generated by two parabolic transformations, and he constructed an infinite family of epimorphisms from 2-bridge link groups onto Heckoid groups. In this paper, we make Riley's definition explicit, and give a systematic construction of epimorphisms from 2-bridge link groups onto Heckoid groups, generalizing Riley's construction.
We give a systematic construction of epimorphisms between 2-bridge link groups. Moreover, we show that 2-bridge links having such an epimorphism between their link groups are related by a map between the ambient spaces which only have a certain specific kind of singularity. We show applications of these epimorphisms to the character varieties for 2-bridge links and pi_1-dominating maps among 3-manifolds.
Torsion and Betti numbers for knots are special cases of more general invariants associated to a finitely generated group G and epimorphism from G to the integers. The sequence of Betti numbers is always periodic; under mild hypotheses, the sequence of torsion numbers satisfies a linear homogeneous recurrence relation with constant coeffiencts. Generally, the torsion number sequence exhibits exponential growth rate. However, again under mild hypotheses, the p-part has trivial growth for any prime p. Applications to branched cover homology for knots and links are presented.
We show that any parabolic generating pair of a genus-one hyperbolic 2-bridge knot group is equivalent to the upper or lower meridian pair. As an application, we obtain a complete classification of the epimorphisms from 2-bridge knot groups to genus-one hyperbolic 2-bridge knot groups.
Let $f\colon M\to N$ be a proper map between two aspherical compact orientable 3-manifolds with empty or toroidal boundary. We assume that $N$ is not a closed graph-manifold. Suppose that $f$ induces an epimorphism on fundamental groups. We show that $f$ is homotopic to a homeomorphism if one of the following holds: either for any finite-index subgroup $Γ$ of $π_1(N)$ the ranks of $Γ$ and of $f_*^{-1}(Γ)$ agree, or for any finite cover $\tilde{N}$ of $N$ the Heegaard genus of $\tilde{N}$ and the Heegaard genus of the pull-back cover $\tilde{M}$ agree.
In Part I of this series of papers, we made Riley's definition of Heckoid groups for 2-bridge links explicit, and gave a systematic construction of epimorphisms from 2-bridge link groups onto Heckoid groups, generalizing Riley's construction. In this paper, we give a complete characterization of upper-meridian-pair-preserving epimorphisms from 2-bridge link groups onto even Heckoid groups, by proving that they are exactly the epimorphisms obtained by the systematic construction.
We give a complete characterization of those essential simple loops on 2-bridge spheres of 2-bridge links which are null-homotopic in the link complements. By using this result, we describe all upper-meridian-pair-preserving epimorphisms between 2-bridge link groups.
This paper proves that every oriented non-disk Seifert surface $F$ for a knot $K$ in $S^3$ is smoothly concordant to a Seifert surface $F^{\prime}$ for a hyperbolic knot $K^{\prime}$ of arbitrarily large volume. This gives a new and simpler proof of the result of Friedl and of Kawauchi that every knot is $S$-equivalent to a hyperbolic knot of arbitrarily large volume. The construction also gives a new and simpler proof of the result of Silver and Whitten and of Kawauchi that for every knot $K$ there is a hyperbolic knot $K^{\prime}$ of arbitrarily large volume and a map of pairs $f:(S^3,K^{\pr…
In this paper we use character variety methods to study homomorphisms between the fundamental groups of 3-manifolds, in particular those induced by non-zero degree maps. A {\it knot manifold} is a compact, connected, irreducible, orientable 3-manifold whose boundary is an incompressible torus. A {\it virtual epimorphism} is a homomorphism whose image is of finite index in its range. We show that the existence of such homomorphisms places constraints on the algebraic decomposition of a knot manifold's $PSL_2(\mathbb C)$-character variety and consequently determine a priori bounds on the number …
Virtual knots, defined by Kauffman, provide a natural generalization of classical knots. Most invariants of knots extend in a natural way to give invariants of virtual knots. In this paper we study the fundamental groups of virtual knots and observe several new and unexpected phenomena. In the classical setting, if the longitude of a knot is trivial in the knot group then the group is infinite cyclic. We show that for any classical knot group there is a virtual knot with that group and trivial longitude. It is well known that the second homology of a classical knot group is trivial. We provide…
Generalized knot groups $G_n(K)$ were introduced independently by Kelly (1991) and Wada (1992). We prove that $G_2(K)$ determines the unoriented knot type and sketch a proof of the same for $G_n(K)$ for $n>2$.
For a knot diagram $K$, the classical knot group $π_1(K)$ is a free group modulo relations determined by Wirtinger-type relations on the classical crossings. The classical knot group is invariant under the Reidemeister moves. In this paper, we define a set of quotient groups associated to a knot diagram $K$. These quotient groups are invariant under the Reidemeister moves and the set includes the extended knot groups defined by Boden et al and Silver and Williams.
The group of any nontrivial torus knot, hyperbolic 2-bridge knot, or hyperbolic knot with unknotting number one contains infinitely many elements, none the automorphic image of another, such that each normally generates the group.
We explore algebraic characterizations of 2-knots whose associated knot manifolds fibre over lower-dimensional orbifolds, and consider also some issues related to the groups of higher-dimensional fibred knots.
We study groups of some virtual knots with small number of crossings and prove that there is a virtual knot with long lower central series which, in particular, implies that there is a virtual knot with residually nilpotent group. This gives a possibility to construct invariants of virtual knots using quotients by terms of the lower central series of knot groups. Also, we study decomposition of virtual knot groups as semi direct product and free product with amalgamation. In particular, we prove that the groups of some virtual knots are extensions of finitely generated free groups by infinite …
We study concordance of virtual knots. Our main result is that a classical knot K is virtually slice if and only if it is classically slice. From this we deduce that the concordance group of classical knots embeds into the concordance group of long virtual knots.
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.
Alexander group systems for virtual long knots are defined and used to show that any virtual knot is the closure of infinitely many long virtual knots. Manturov's result that there exists a pair of long virtual knots that do not commute is reproved.
We study certain linear representations of the knot group that induce augmentations of knot contact homology. This perspective on augmentations enhances our understanding of the relationship between the augmentation polynomial and the A-polynomial of the knot. For example, we show that for 2-bridge knots the polynomials agree and that this is never the case for (non-2-bridge) torus knots, nor for a family of 3-bridge pretzel knots. In addition, we obtain a lower bound on the meridional rank of the knot. As a consequence, our results give another proof that torus knots and a family of pretzel k…
We complete the TOP classification of 2-knots with torsion-free, solvable knot group by showing that fibred 2-knots with closed fibre the Hantzsche-Wendt flat 3-manifold $HW$ are not reflexive, while every fibred 2-knot with closed fibre a $\mathbb{N}il^3$-manifold with base orbifold $S^2(3,3,3)$ is reflexive, and by giving explicit normal forms for the strict weight orbits of normal generators for the groups of all knots in either class. We also determine when the knots are amphicheiral or invertible, and show that the only non-trivial doubly null-concordant knots with such groups are those w…
We show that if a positive integral surgery on a knot K inside a homology sphere X with Seifert genus g(K) results in an induced knot K_n in X_n(K)=Y which has simple Floer homology, we should have n>=2g(K). Moreover, if X is the standard sphere, the three-manifold Y is a L-space and the Heegaard Floer homology groups of K are determined by its Alexander polynomial.
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…
Given a knot $K$ we may construct a group $G_n(K)$ from the fundamental group of $K$ by adjoining an $n$th root of the meridian that commutes with the corresponding longitude. For $n\geq2$ these "generalised knot groups" determine $K$ up to reflection (Nelson and Neumann, 2008; arXiv:0804.0807). The second author has shown that for $n\geq2$, the generalised knot groups of the square knot $SK$ and the granny knot $GK$ can be distinguished by counting homomorphisms into a suitably chosen finite group (arXiv:0706.1807). We extend this result to certain generalised knot groups of square and granny…
We define a nontrivial mod 2 valued additive concordance invariant defined on the torsion subgroup of the knot concordance group using involutive knot Floer package. For knots not contained in its kernel, we prove that their iterated $(\text{odd},1)$-cables have infinite order in the concordance group and, among them, infinitely many are linearly independent. Furthermore, by taking $(2,1)$-cables of the aforementioned knots, we present an infinite family of knots which are strongly rationally slice but not slice.
A killer of a group Gis an element that normally generates G. We show that the group of a cable knot contains infinitely many killers such that no two lie in the same automorphic orbit.
A G-coloured knot is a knot together with a representation of its knot group onto G. Two G-coloured knots are said to be rho-equivalent if they are related by surgery around unit framed unknots in the kernels of their colourings. The induced local move is a G-coloured analogue of the crossing change. For certain families of metabelian groups G, we classify G-coloured knots up to rho-equivalence. Our method involves passing to a problem about G-coloured analogues of Seifert matrices.
This note shows that if two elements of equal trace (e.g., conjugate elements) generate an arithmetic two-bridge knot or link group, then the elements are parabolic. This includes the figure-eight knot and Whitehead link groups. Similarly, if two conjugate elements generate the trefoil knot group, then the elements are peripheral.
We show that a 2-knot group discovered in the course of a census of 4-manifolds with small triangulations is an HNN extension with finite base and proper associated subgroups, and has the smallest base among such knot groups.
We define a new smooth concordance homomorphism based on the knot Floer complex and an associated concordance invariant, epsilon. As an application, we show that an infinite family of topologically slice knots are independent in the smooth concordance group.
Knot concordance plays a crucial role in the low dimensional topology. We propose a very elementary techniques which allows one to construct a lot of sliceness obstructions for knots in the full torus. Our approach deals with group theoretical techniques; it is completely combinatorial, and the groups are very easy to deal with.
Given a knot K we may construct a group G_n(K) from the fundamental group of K by adjoining an nth root of the meridian that commutes with the corresponding longitude. These "generalised knot groups" were introduced independently by Wada and Kelly, and contain the fundamental group as a subgroup. The square knot SK and the granny knot GK are a well known example of a pair of distinct knots with isomorphic fundamental groups. We show that G_n(SK) and G_n(GK) are non-isomorphic for all n>1. This confirms a conjecture of Lin and Nelson, and shows that the isomorphism type of G_n(K), n>1, carries …
We find explicit maximal rank Coxeter quotients for the knot groups of 595,515 out of the 1,701,936 knots through 16 crossings. We thus calculate the bridge numbers and verify Cappell and Shaneson's Meridional Rank Conjecture for these knots. In addition, we provide a computational tool for establishing the conjecture for knots beyond 16 crossings whose meridional ranks can be detected via finite Coxeter quotients.
Given a homomorphism from a knot group to a fixed group, we introduce an element of a $K_1$-group, which is a generalization of (twisted) Alexander polynomials. We compare this $K_1$-class with other Alexander polynomials. In terms of semi-local rings, we compute the $K_1$-classes of some knots and show their non-triviality. We also introduce metabelian Alexander polynomials.
The aim of this article is to study the existence of certain reducible, metabelian representations of knot groups into $\mathrm{SL}(n,\mathbf{C})$ which generalise the representations studied previously by G.~Burde and G.~de Rham. Under specific hypotheses we prove the existence of irreducible deformations of such representations of knot groups into $\mathrm{SL}(n,\mathbf{C})$.
We construct an infinite family of topologically slice knots that are not smoothly concordant to their reverses. More precisely, if T denotes the concordance group of topologically slice knots and R is the involution of T induced by string reversal, then T/Fix(R) contains an infinitely generated free subgroup. The result remains true modulo the subgroup of T generated by knots with trivial Alexander polynomial.