The Jones polynomial of a knot in 3-space is a Laurent polynomial in $q$, with integer coefficients. Many people have pondered why is this so, and what is a proper generalization of the Jones polynomial for knots in other closed 3-manifolds. Our paper centers around this question. After reviewing several existing definitions of the Jones polynomial, we show that the Jones polynomial is really an analytic function, in the sense of Habiro. Using this, we extend the holonomicity properties of the colored Jones function of a knot in 3-space to the case of a knot in an integer homology sphere, and we formulate an analogue of the AJ Conjecture. Our main tools are various integrality properties of topological quantum field theory invariants of links in 3-manifolds, manifested in Habiro's work on the colored Jones function.Revised version updating references on Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants.
We point out that the strong slope conjecture implies that the degrees of the colored Jones knot polynomials detect the figure eight knot. Furthermore, we propose a characterization of alternating knots in terms of the Jones period and the degree span of the colored Jones polynomial.
We study relationships between the colored Jones polynomial and the A-polynomial of a knot. We establish for a large class of 2-bridge knots the AJ conjecture (of Garoufalidis) that relates the colored Jones polynomial and the A-polynomial. Along the way we also calculate the Kauffman bracket skein module of all 2-bridge knots. Some properties of the colored Jones polynomial of alternating knots are established.
The noncommutative A-ideal of a knot is a generalization of the A-polynomial, defined using Kauffman bracket skein modules. In this paper we show that any knot that has the same noncommutative A-ideal as the (2,2p+1)-torus knot has the same colored Jones polynomials. This is a consequence of the orthogonality relation, which yields a recursive relation for computing all colored Jones polynomials of the knot.
In the asymptotic expansion of the hyperbolic specification of the colored Jones polynomial of torus knots, we identify different geometric contributions, in particular Chern--Simons invaraint and Reidemeister torsion.
We show that for a twist knot, the A-polynomial can be obtained from recurrences for the summand in Masbaum's formula of the colored Jones polynomial. Our result supports the AJ conjecture due to S.Garoufalidis.
We study the asymptotic behavior of the $N$-dimensional colored Jones polynomial of a cable of the figure-eight knot, evaluated at $\exp(ξ/N)$ for a real number $ξ$. We show that if $ξ$ is sufficiently large, the colored Jones polynomial grows exponentially when $N$ goes to the infinity. Moreover the growth rate is related to the Chern-Simons invariant of the knot exterior associated with an $\mathrm{SL}(2;\mathbb{R})$ representation.
We describe a normal surface algorithm that decides whether a knot, with known degree of the colored Jones polynomial, satisfies the Strong Slope Conjecture. We also discuss possible simplifications of our algorithm and state related open questions. We establish a relation between the Jones period of a knot and the number of sheets of the surfaces that satisfy the Strong Slope Conjecture (Jones surfaces). We also present numerical and experimental evidence supporting a stronger such relation which we state as an open question.
We show that the set of colored Jones polynomials and the set of generalized Alexander polynomials defined by Akutsu, Deguchi and Ohtsuki intersect non-trivially. Moreover it is shown that the intersection is (at least includes) the set of Kashaev's quantum dilogarithm invariants for links. Therefore Kashaev's conjecture can be restated as follows: The colored Jones polynomials determine the hyperbolic volume for a hyperbolic knot. Modifying this, we propose a stronger conjecture: The colored Jones polynomials determine the simplicial volume for any knot. If our conjecture is true, then we can…
In this paper we prove that the family of colored Jones polynomials of a knot in $S^3$ determines the family of ADO polynomials of this knot. More precisely, we construct a two variables knot invariant unifying both the ADO and the colored Jones polynomials. On one hand, the first variable $q$ can be evaluated at $2r$ roots of unity with $r \in \Bbb N^*$ and we obtain the ADO polynomial over the Alexander polynomial. On the other hand, the second variable $A$ evaluated at $A=q^n$ gives the colored Jones polynomials. From this, we exhibit a map sending, for any knot, the family of colored Jones…
The colored Jones polynomial is a series of one variable Laurent polynomials J(K,n) associated with a knot K in 3-space. We will show that for an alternating knot K the absolute values of the first and the last three leading coefficients of J(K,n) are independent of n when n is sufficiently large. Computation of sample knots indicates that this should be true for any fixed leading coefficient of the colored Jones polynomial for alternating knots. As a corollary we get a Volume-ish Theorem for the colored Jones Polynomial.
In previous joint work with Frohman and Lofaro a noncommutative generalization of the A-polynomial of a knot was introduced, consisting of a finitely generated ideal of polynomials (the noncommutative A-ideal) in the quantum plane. The present paper shows that the noncommutative A-ideal of a knot, together with finitely many of its colored Jones polynomials determines all other colored Jones polynomials. Also, for particular knots, such as the unknot and the trefoil, the noncommutative A-ideal completely determines all colored Jones polynomials.
In this paper, we prove a formula for the 2-head of the colored Jones polynomial for an infinite family of pretzel knots. Following Hall, the proof utilizes skein-theoretic techniques and a careful examination of higher order stability properties for coefficients of the colored Jones polynomial.
We formulate a conjecture (already proven by A. Kricker) about the structure of Kontsevich integral of a knot. We describe its value in terms of the generating functions for the numbers of external edges attached to closed 3-valent diagrams. We conjecture that these functions are rational functions of the exponentials of their arguments, their denominators being the powers of the Alexander-Conway polynomial. This conjecture implies the existence of an expansion of a colored Jones (HOMFLY) polynomial in powers of q-1 whose coefficients are rational functions of q^color. We show how to derive th…
To a knot in 3-space, one can associate a sequence of Laurent polynomials, whose $n$th term is the $n$th colored Jones polynomial. The paper is concerned with the asymptotic behavior of the value of the $n$th colored Jones polynomial at $e^{\a/n}$, when $\a$ is a fixed complex number and $n$ tends to infinity. We analyze this asymptotic behavior to all orders in $1/n$ when $\a$ is a sufficiently small complex number. In addition, we give upper bounds for the coefficients and degree of the $n$th colored Jones polynomial, with applications to upper bounds in the Generalized Volume Conjecture. Wo…
The paper introduces Slope Conjecture which relates the degree of the Jones polynomial of a knot and its parallels with the slopes of incompressible surfaces in the knot complement. More precisely, we introduce two knot invariants, the Jones slopes (a finite set of rational numbers) and the Jones period (a natural number) of a knot in 3-space. We formulate a number of conjectures for these invariants and verify them by explicit computations for the class of alternating knots, torus knots, the knots with at most 9 crossings, and the $(-2,3,n)$ pretzel knots.
Although most knots are nonalternating, modern research in knot theory seems to focus on alternating knots. We consider here nonalternating knots and their properties. Specifically, we show certain classes of knots have nontrivial Jones polynomials.
This article gives the foundations of the colored Jones polynomial for singular knots. We extend Masbum and Vogel's algorithm to compute the colored Jones polynomial for any singular knot. We also introduce the tail of the colored Jones polynomial of singular knots and use its stability properties to prove a false theta function identity that goes back to Ramanujan.
In this paper, a method is given to calculate the Jones polynomial of the 6-plat presentations of knots by using a representation of the braid group $\mathbb{B}_6$ into a group of $5\times 5$ matrices. We also can calculate the Jones polynomial of the $2n$-plat presentations of knots by generalizing the method for the 6-plat presentations of knots.
We prove an explicit cabling formula for the colored Jones polynomial. As an application we prove the volume conjecture for all zero volume knots and links, i.e. all knots and links that are obtained from the unknot by repeated cabling and connected sum.
We exhibit an infinite family of knots with the property that the first coefficient of the n-colored Jones polynomial grows linearly with n. This shows that the concept of stability and tail seen in the colored Jones polynomials of alternating knots does not generalize naively.
We continue our study of the degree of the colored Jones polynomial under knot cabling started in "Knot Cabling and the Degree of the Colored Jones Polynomial" (arXiv:1501.01574). Under certain hypothesis on this degree, we determine how the Jones slopes and the linear term behave under cabling. As an application we verify Garoufalidis' Slope Conjecture and a conjecture of the authors for cables of a two-parameter family of closed 3-braids called 2-fusion knots.
Garoufalidis conjectured a relation between the boundary slopes of a knot and its colored Jones polynomials. According to the conjecture, certain boundary slopes are detected by the sequence of degrees of the colored Jones polynomials. We verify this conjecture for adequate knots, a class that vastly generalizes that of alternating knots.
A model of random walk on knot diagrams is used to study the Alexander polynomial and the colored Jones polynomial of knots. In this context, the inverse of the Alexander polynomial of a knot plays the role of an Ihara-Selberg zeta function of a directed weighted graph, counting with weights cycles of random walk on a 1-string link whose closure is the knot in question. The colored Jones polynomial then counts with weights families of ``self-avoiding'' cycles of random walk on the cabling of the 1-string link. As a consequence of such interpretations of the Alexander and colored Jones polynomi…
We will study the asymptotic behaviors of the colored Jones polynomials of the figure-eight knot. In particular we will show that for certain limits we obtain the volumes of the cone manifolds with singularities along the knot.
The Volume conjecture claims that the hyperbolic Volume of a knot is determined by the colored Jones polynomial. The purpose of this article is to show a Volume-ish theorem for alternating knots in terms of the Jones polynomial, rather than the colored Jones polynomial: The ratio of the Volume and certain sums of coefficients of the Jones polynomial is bounded from above and from below by constants. Furthermore, we give experimental data on the relation of the growths of the hyperbolic volume and the coefficients of the Jones polynomial, both for alternating and non-alternating knots.
In this paper, we study the asymptotic behavior of the colored Jones polynomials evaluated at roots of unity for a special class of knots. We show that certain limit is zero as predicted by the volume conjecture.
In this master thesis, I present a new family of knots in the solid torus called lassos, and their properties. Given a knot $K$ with Alexander polynomial $Δ_K(t)$, I then use these lassos as patterns to construct families of satellite knots that have Alexander polynomial $Δ_K(t^d)$ where $d\in\mathbb{N}\cup \{0\}$. In particular, I prove that if $d\in\{0,1,2,3\}$ these satellite knots have different Jones polynomials. For this purpose, I give rise to a formula for calculating the Jones polynomial of a satellite knot in terms of the Jones polynomials of its pattern and companion.
We show that for a torus knot the SL(2;C) Chern-Simons invariants and the SL(2;C) twisted Reidemeister torsions appear in an asymptotic expansion of the colored Jones polynomial. This suggests a generalization of the volume conjecture that relates the asymptotic behavior of the colored Jones polynomial of a knot to the volume of the knot complement.
We observe that the strong slope conjecture implies that the degree of the colored Jones polynomial detects all torus knots. As an application we obtain that an adequate knot that has the same colored Jones polynomial degrees as a torus knot must be a $(2,q)$-torus knot.
We establish a characterization of adequate knots in terms of the degree of their colored Jones polynomial. We show that, assuming the Strong Slope conjecture, our characterization can be reformulated in terms of "Jones slopes" of knots and the essential surfaces that realize the slopes .For alternating knots the reformulated characterization follows by recent work of J. Greene and J. Howie.
The AJ conjecture, formulated by Garoufalidis, relates the A-polynomial and the colored Jones polynomial of a knot in the 3-sphere. It has been confirmed for all torus knots, some classes of two-bridge knots and pretzel knots, and most cabled knots over torus knots. The strong AJ conjecture, formulated by Sikora, relates the A-ideal and the colored Jones polynomial of a knot. It was confirmed for all torus knots. In this paper we confirm the strong AJ conjecture for most cabled knots over torus knots.
We show that from the asymptotic behavior of an evaluation of the colored Jones polynomial of the figure-eight knot we can extract the Chern--Simons invariant and the twisted Reidemeister torsion associated with a representation of the fundamental group of the knot complement to the two-dimensional complex special linear group.
The notion of chckerboard colorability for virtual links and abstract links is introduced. We study the Jones polynomials of virtual links and abstruct links. It is proved that a certain property of the Jones polynomials of classical links is valid for virtual links which admit checkerboard colorings.
We show for an alternating knot the minimal boundary slope of an essential spanning surface is given by the signature plus twice the minimum degree of the Jones polynomial and the maximal boundary slope of an essential spanning surface is given by the signature plus twice the maximum degree of the Jones polynomial. For alternating Montesinos knots, these are the minimal and maximal boundary slopes.
We calculate limits of the colored Jones polynomials of the figure-eight knot and conclude that in most cases they determine the volumes and the Chern--Simons invariants of the three-manifolds obtained by Dehn surgeries along it.
We prove that the N-colored Jones polynomial for the torus knot T_{s,t} satisfies the second order difference equation, which reduces to the first order difference equation for a case of T_{2,2m+1}. We show that the A-polynomial of the torus knot can be derived from this difference equation. Also constructed is a q-hypergeometric type expression of the colored Jones polynomial for T_{2,2m+1}.
It is still unknown whether there is a nontrivial knot with Jones polynomial equal to that of the unknot. Tanaka shows that if an amphichiral knot is a symmetric union of the unknot with one twist region, then its Jones polynomial is trivial. Hence, he proposes that if any of these knots were nontrivial, a nontrivial knot with trivial Jones polynomial would exist. We first show such a knot is always trivial and hence cannot be used to answer the above question. We then generalize the argument to symmetric unions of any knots and show that if a symmetric union of a knot $J$ with one twist regio…
Let K in S^3 be a knot, and let \widetilde{K} denote the preimage of K inside its double branched cover, Σ(K). We prove, for each integer n > 1, the existence of a spectral sequence from Khovanov's categorification of the reduced n-colored Jones polynomial of the mirror of K to the knot Floer homology of (Σ(K),\widetilde{K}) (when n odd) and to (S^3, K # K) (when n even). A corollary of our result is that Khovanov's categorification of the reduced n-colored Jones polynomial detects the unknot whenever n>1.
We study the behavior of the degree of the colored Jones polynomial and the boundary slopes of knots under the operation of cabling. We show that, under certain hypothesis on this degree, if a knot $K$ satisfies the Slope Conjecture then a $(p, q)$-cable of $K$ satisfies the conjecture, provided that $p/q$ is not a Jones slope of $K$. As an application we prove the Slope Conjecture for iterated cables of adequate knots and for iterated torus knots. Furthermore we show that, for these knots, the degree of the colored Jones polynomial also determines the topology of a surface that satisfies the …
The volume conjecture and its generalization state that the series of certain evaluations of the colored Jones polynomials of a knot would grow exponentially and its growth rate would be related to the volume of a three-manifold obtained by Dehn surgery along the knot. In this paper, we show that for the figure-eight knot the series converges in some cases and the limit equals the inverse of its Alexander polynomial.
It can be conjectured that the colored Jones function of a knot can be computed in terms of counting paths on the graph of a planar projection of a knot. On the combinatorial level, the colored Jones function can be replaced by its weight system. We give two curious formulas for the weight system of a colored Jones function: one in terms of the permanent of a matrix associated to a chord diagram, and another in terms of counting paths of intersecting chords.
This work presents formulas for the Kauffman bracket and Jones polynomials of 3-bridge knots using the structure of Chebyshev knots and their billiard table diagrams. In particular, these give far fewer terms than in the Skein relation expansion. The subject is introduced by considering the easier case of 2-bridge knots, where some geometric interpretation is provided, as well, via combinatorial tiling problems.
We generalize the colored Jones polynomial to $4$-valent graphs. This generalization is given as a sequence of invariants in which the first term is a one variable specialization of the Kauffman-Vogel polynomial. We use the invariant we construct to give a sequence of singular braid group representations.
In this paper we compute the signature for a family of knots $W(k,n)$, the weaving knots of type $(k,n)$. By work of E.~S.~Lee the signature calculation implies a vanishing theorem for the Khovanov homology of weaving knots. Specializing to knots $W(3,n)$, we develop recursion relations that enable us to compute the Jones polynomial of $W(3,n)$. Using additional results of Lee, we compute the ranks of the Khovanov Homology of these knots. At the end we provide evidence for our conjecture that, asymptotically, the ranks of Khovanov Homology of $W(3,n)$ are {\it normally distributed}.
This paper defines versions of the Jones polynomial and Khovanov homology by using several maps from the set of Gauss diagrams to its variant. Through calculation of some examples, this paper also shows that these versions behave differently from the original ones.
Using an involved study of the Jones polynomial, we determine, as our main result, the crossing numbers of (prime) amphicheiral knots. As further applications, we show that several classes of links, including semiadequate links and Whitehead doubles of semiadequate knots, have non-trivial Jones polynomial. We also prove that there are infinitely many positive knots with no positive minimal crossing diagrams. Some relations to the twist number of a link, Mahler measure and the hyperbolic volume are given, for example explicit upper bounds on the volume for Montesinos and 3-braid links in terms …
The colored Jones function of a knot is a sequence of Laurent polynomials in one variable, whose n-th term is the Jones polynomial of the knot colored with the n-dimensional irreducible representation of SL(2). It was recently shown by TTQ Le and the author that the colored Jones function of a knot is q-holonomic, ie, that it satisfies a nontrivial linear recursion relation with appropriate coefficients. Using holonomicity, we introduce a geometric invariant of a knot: the characteristic variety, an affine 1-dimensional variety in C^2. We then compare it with the character variety of SL_2(C) r…
In this paper we investigate the asymptotic behavior of the colored Jones polynomials and the Turaev-Viro invariants for the figure eight knot. More precisely, we consider the $M$-th colored Jones polynomials evaluated at $(N+1/2)$-th root of unity with a fixed limiting ratio, $s$, of $M$ and $(N+1/2)$. We find out the asymptotic expansion formula (AEF) of the colored Jones polynomials of the figure eight knot with $s$ close to $1$. Nonetheless, we show that the exponential growth rate of the colored Jones polynomials of the figure eight knot with $s$ close to $1/2$ is strictly less than those…
We study the asymptotic behaviors of the colored Jones polynomials of torus knots. Contrary to the works by R. Kashaev, O. Tirkkonen, Y. Yokota, and the author, they do not seem to give the volumes or the Chern-Simons invariants of the three-manifolds obtained by Dehn surgeries. On the other hand it is proved that in some cases the limits give the inverse of the Alexander polynomial.
We show that the head and tail functions of the colored Jones polynomial of adequate links are the product of head and tail functions of the colored Jones polynomial of alternating links that can be read-off an adequate diagram of the link. We apply this to strengthen a theorem of Kalfagianni, Futer and Purcell on the fiberedness of adequate links.
A generalization of the volume conjecture relates the asymptotic behavior of the colored Jones polynomial of a knot to the Chern--Simons invariant and the Reidemeister torsion of the knot complement associated with a representation of the fundamental group to the special linear group of degree two over complex numbers. If the knot is hyperbolic, the representation can be regarded as a deformation of the holonomy representation that determines the complete hyperbolic structure. In this article we study a similar phenomenon when the knot is a twice-iterated torus knot. In this case, the asymptot…
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…
