The 2-bridge knots are a family of knots with bridge number 2. In this paper, we compute the Kauffman polynomials of 2-bridge knots using the Kauffman skein theory and linear algebra techniques. Our calculation can be easily carried out using Mathematica, Maple, Mathcad, etc.
We determine the action of the Kauffman bracket skein algebra of the torus on the Kauffman bracket skein module of the complement of the 3-twist knot. The point is to study the relationship between knot complements and their boundary tori, an idea that has proved very fruitful in knot theory. We place this idea in the context of Chern-Simons theory, where such actions arose in connection with the computation of the noncommutative version of the A-polynomial that was defined by Frohman, Gelca and Lofaro, but they can also be interpreted as quantum mechanical systems. Our goal is to exhibit a de…
In 1999, Kauffman-Harary conjectured that every non-trivial Fox $p$-coloring of a reduced, alternating knot diagram with prime determinant $p$ is heterogeneous. Ten years later this conjecture was proved by W. Mattman and P. Solis. Mathew Williamson generalized this conjecture to alternating virtual knots and proved it for certain families of virtual knots. In the present note, we use the methods of W. Mattman and P. Solis to give an affirmative answer to the Kauffman-Harary conjecture for alternating virtual knots.
In 1982 Louis Kauffman conjectured that if a knot in the 3-sphere is a slice knot then on any Seifert surface for that knot there exists a homologically essential simple closed curve of self-linking zero which is itself a slice knot, or at least has Arf invariant zero. Since that time, considerable evidence has been amassed in support of this conjecture. In particular, many invariants that obstruct a knot from being a slice knot have been explictly expressed in terms of invariants of such curves on the Seifert surface. We give counterexamples to Kauffman's conjecture, that is, we exhibit (smoo…
The m,n Turk's Head Knot, THK(m,n), is an "alternating (m,n) torus knot." We prove the Harary-Kauffman conjecture for all THK(m,n) except for the case where m \geq 5 is odd and n \geq 3 is relatively prime to m. We also give evidence in support of the conjecture in that case. Our proof rests on the observation that none of these knots have prime determinant except for THK(m,2) when P_m is a Pell prime.
Samuel J. Lomonaco Jr and Louis H. Kauffman conjectured that tame knot theory and knot mosaic theory are equivalent. We give a proof of the Lomonaco-Kauffman conjecture.
In this paper, we investigate twist sequences for Kauffman finite-type invariants and Goussarov-Polyak-Viro finite-type invariants. It is shown that one obtains a Kauffman or GPV type of degree $\le n$ if and only if an invariant is a polynomial of degree $\le n$ on every twist lattice of the right form. The main result of this paper is an application of this technique to the coefficients of the Jones-Kauffman polynomial. It is shown that the Kauffman finite-type invariants obtained from these coefficients are not GPV finite-type invariants of any degree by explicitly showing they can never be…
The Kauffman-Harary conjecture states that for any reduced alternating diagram K of a knot with a prime determinant p, every non-trivial Fox p-coloring of K assigns different colors to its arcs. We generalize the conjecture by stating it in terms of homology of the double cover of S^3 branched along a link. In this way we extend the scope of the conjecture to all prime alternating links of arbitrary determinants. We first prove the Kauffman-Harary conjecture for pretzel knots and then we generalize our argument to show the generalized Kauffman-Harary conjecture for all Montesinos links. Finall…
A multi-crossing (or n-crossing) is a singular point in a projection at which n strands cross so that each strand bisects the crossing. We generalize the classic result of Kauffman, Murasugi, and Thistlethwaite, which gives the upper bound on the span of the bracket polynomial of K as 4c_2(K), to the n-crossing number: span<K> is bounded above by ([n^2/2] + 4n-8) c_n(K) for all integers n at least 3. We also explore n-crossing additivity under composition, and find that for n at least 4, there are examples of knots such that the n-crossing number is sub-additive. Further, we present the first …
A state generating is introduced to determine the Jones polynomial of a link. Formulae for two infinite families of knots are shown by applying this method, the second family of which are proved to be non-alternating. Moreover, the method is generalized to compute the Jones-Kauffman polynomial of a virtual link. As examples, formulae for one infinite family of virtual knots are given.
In the present paper, we build a bridge between Conway-Coxeter friezes and rational tangles through the Kauffman bracket polynomials. One can compute a Kauffman bracket polynomials attached to rational links by using Conway-Coxeter friezes. As an application one can give a complete invariant on Conway-Coxeter friezes of zigzag-type.
In this survey we summarize results regarding the Kauffman bracket, HOMFLYPT, Kauffman 2-variable and Dubrovnik skein modules, and the Alexander polynomial of links in lens spaces, which we represent as mixed link diagrams. These invariants generalize the corresponding knot polynomials in the classical case. We compare the invariants by means of the ability to distinguish between some difficult cases of knots with certain symmetries.
Dye and Kauffman defined surface bracket polynomials for virtual links by use of surface states, and found a relationship between the surface states and the minimal genus of a surface in which a virtual link diagram is realized. They and Miyazawa independently defined a multivariable polynomial invariant of virtual links. This invariant is deeply related to the surface states. In this paper, we introduce the notion of surface pole bracket polynomials for link diagrams in closed surfaces, as a generalization of surface bracket polynomials by Dye and Kauffman. The polynomials induce the invarian…
We compute the Kauffman bracket skein module of the complement of a twist knot, finding that it is free and infinite dimensional. The basis consists of cables of a two-component link, one component of which is a meridian of the knot. The cabling of the meridian can be arbitrarily large while the cabling of the other component is limited to the number of twists.
We define and study a bigraded knot invariant whose Euler characteristic is the Alexander polynomial, closely connected to knot Floer homology. The invariant is the homology of a chain complex whose generators correspond to Kauffman states for a knot diagram. The definition uses decompositions of knot diagrams: to a collection of points on the line, we associate a differential graded algebra; to a partial knot diagram, we associate modules over the algebra. The knot invariant is obtained from these modules by an appropriate tensor product.
We collect some examples showing that some Vassiliev invariants are not obtainable from the HOMFLY and Kauffman polynomials in the real sense, namely, that they distinguish knots not distinguishable by the HOMFLY and/or Kauffman polynomial.
This paper contains general formulae for the reduced relative Tutte, Kauffman bracket and Jones polynomials of families of virtual knots and links given in Conway notation and discussion of a counterexample to the Z-move conjecture of Fenn, Kauffman and Manturov.
It is proved in this note that the analogues of the Bennequin inequality which provide an upper bound for the Bennequin invariant of a Legendrian knot in the standard contact three dimensional space in terms of the lower degree in the framing variable of the HOMFLY and the Kauffman polynomials are not sharp. Furthermore, the relationships between these restrictions on the range of the Bennequin invariant are investigated, which leads to a new simple proof of the inequality involving the Kauffman polynomial.
In this paper, we extend the definition of a knotoid that was introduced by Turaev, to multi-linkoids that consist of a number of knot and knotoid components. We study invariants of multi-linkoids that lie in a closed orientable surface, namely the Kauffman bracket polynomial, ordered bracket polynomial, the Kauffman skein module, and the $T$-invariant in relation with generalized $Θ$-graphs.
We construct an infinite commutative lattice of groups whose dual spaces give Kauffman finite-type invariants of long virtual knots. The lattice is based "horizontally" upon the Polyak algebra and extended "vertically" using Manturov's functorial map $f$. For each $n$, the $n$-th vertical line in the lattice contains an infinite dimensional subspace of Kauffman finite-type invariants of degree $n$. Moreover, the lattice contains infinitely many inequivalent extensions of the Conway polynomial to long virtual knots, all of which satisfy the same skein relation. Bounds for the rank of each group…
The topological string interpretation of homological knot invariants has led to several insights into the structure of the theory in the case of sl(N). We study possible extensions of the matrix factorization approach to knot homology for other Lie groups and representations. In particular, we introduce a new triply graded theory categorifying the Kauffman polynomial, test it, and predict the Kauffman homology for several simple knots.
We show two results about the Conway potential function which is known as the normalized multivariable Alexander polynomial. We first show that the Conway potential function introduced by Kauffman in "Formal Knot Theory" is indeed a link invariant. Next we show that Kauffman's potential function equals Hartley's potential function. We will prove it by using Murakami's axioms for the multivariable Alexander polynomial.
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…
We give an algorithmic computation for the height of Kauffman's clock lattice obtained from a knot diagram with two adjacent regions starred and without crossing information specified. We show that this lattice is more familiarly the graph of perfect matchings of a bipartite graph obtained from the knot diagram by overlaying the two dual Tait graphs of the knot diagram. This setting also makes evident applications to Chebyshev or harmonic knots, whose related bipartite graph is the popular grid graph, and to discrete Morse functions. Furthermore we prove structural properties of the bipartite …
It is known that alternative links are pseudoalternating. In 1983 Louis Kauffman conjectured that both classes are identical. In this paper we prove that Kauffman Conjecture holds for those links whose first Betti number is at most 2. However, it is not true in general when this value increases, as we also prove by finding two counterexamples: a link and a knot whose first Betti numbers equal 3 and 4, respectively.
Given any oriented link diagram, one can construct knot invariants using skein relations. Usually such a skein relation contains three or four terms. In this paper, the author introduces several new ways to smooth a crossings, and uses a system of skein equations to construct link invariant. This invariant can also be modified by writhe to get a more powerful invariant. The modified invariant is a generalization of both the HOMFLYPT polynomial and the two-variable Kauffman polynomial. Using the diamond lemma, a simplified version of the modified invariant is given. It is easy to compute and is…
The notion of a virtual knot introduced by L. Kauffman induces the notion of a virtual braid. It is closely related with a welded braid of R. Fenn, R. Rimanyi and C. Rourke. Alexander's and Markov's theorems for virtual knots and braids are proved. Similar results for welded knots and braids are also proved.
We calculate the Kauffman bracket skein module (KBSM) of the complement of all two-bridge links. For a two-bridge link, we show that the KBSM of its complement is free over the ring $\BC[t^{\pm 1}]$ and when reducing $t=-1$, it is isomorphic to the ring of regular functions on the character variety of the link group.
Kauffman knot polynomial invariants are discovered in classical abelian Chern-Simons field theory. A topological invariant $t^{I\left( \mathcal{L} \right) }$ is constructed for a link $\mathcal{L}$, where $I$ is the abelian Chern-Simons action and $t$ a formal constant. For oriented knotted vortex lines, $t^{I}$ satisfies the skein relations of the Kauffman R-polynomial; for un-oriented knotted lines, $t^{I}$ satisfies the skein relations of the Kauffman bracket polynomial. As an example the bracket polynomials of trefoil knots are computed, and the Jones polynomial is constructed from the bra…
We propose a new, precise integrality conjecture for the colored Kauffman polynomial of knots and links inspired by large N dualities and the structure of topological string theory on orientifolds. According to this conjecture, the natural knot invariant in an unoriented theory involves both the colored Kauffman polynomial and the colored HOMFLY polynomial for composite representations, i.e. it involves the full HOMFLY skein of the annulus. The conjecture sheds new light on the relationship between the Kauffman and the HOMFLY polynomials, and it implies for example Rudolph's theorem. We provid…
We compute the Kauffman bracket polynomial of the three-lead Turk's head, the chain sinnet and the figure-eight chain shadow diagrams. Each of these knots can in fact be constructed by repeatedly concatenating the same 3-tangle, respectively, then taking the closure. The bracket is then evaluated by expressing the state diagrams of the concerned 3-tangle by means of the Kauffman monoid diagram's elements.
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.
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 note, we give a short proof that knot Floer thickness is a lower bound on the dealternating number of a knot. The result is originally due to work of Abe and Kishimoto, Lowrance, and Turaev. Our proof is a modification of the Stipsicz-Szabo approach using Kauffman states to show that thickness bounds the minimal number of bad domains in a knot diagram.
We develop a dimer model for the Alexander polynomial of a knot. This recovers Kauffman's state sum model for the Alexander polynomial using the language of dimers. By providing some additional structure we are able to extend this model to give a state sum formula for the twisted Alexander polynomial of a knot depending on a representation of the knot group.
The expectation value of Wilson loop operators in three-dimensional SO(N) Chern-Simons gauge theory gives a known knot invariant: the Kauffman polynomial. Here this result is derived, at the first order, via a simple variational method. With the same procedure the skein relation for Sp(N) are also obtained. Jones polynomial arises as special cases: Sp(2), SO(-2) and SL(2,R). These results are confirmed and extended up to the second order, by means of perturbation theory, which moreover let us establish a duality relation between SO(+/-N) and Sp(-/+N) invariants. A correspondence between the fi…
We give a new interpretation of the Alexander polynomial $Δ_0$ for virtual knots due to Sawollek and Silver and Williams, and use it to show that, for any virtual knot, $Δ_0$ determines the writhe polynomial of Cheng and Gao (equivalently, Kauffman's affine index polynomial). We also use it to define a second-order writhe polynomial, and give some applications.
We study the structural properties of colored Kauffman homologies of knots. Quadruple-gradings play an essential role in revealing the differential structure of colored Kauffman homology. Using the differential structure, the Kauffman homologies carrying the symmetric tensor products of the vector representation for the trefoil and the figure-eight are determined. In addition, making use of relations from representation theory, we also obtain the HOMFLY homologies colored by rectangular Young tableaux with two rows for these knots. Furthermore, the notion of super-A-polynomials is extended in …
In this paper we compute the Kauffman bracket skein module of the complement of $(2, 2p+1)$-torus knots, $KBSM(T_{(2, 2p+1)}^c)$, via braids. We start by considering geometric mixed braids in $S^3$, the closure of which are mixed links in $S^3$ that represent links in the complement of $(2, 2p+1)$-torus knots, $T_{(2, 2p+1)}^c$. Using the technique of parting and combing, we obtain algebraic mixed braids, that is, mixed braids that belong to the mixed braid group $B_{2, n}$ and that are followed by their ``coset'' part, that represents $T_{(2, 2p+1)}^c$. In that way we show that links in $T_{(…
The paper shows the computation of the noncommutative generalization of the A-polynomial of the trefoil knot. The classical A-polynomial was introduced by Cooper, Culler, Gillet, Long and Shalen, and was generalized to the context of Kauffman bracket skein modules by the author in joint work with Frohman and Lofaro. A major step in determining the noncommutative version of the A-polynomial of the trefoil is the description of the action of the Kauffman bracket skein algebra of the torus on the skein module of the knot complement. As such, the computation reduces to operations with noncommutati…
The Kauffman bracket skein module $K(M)$ of a $3$-manifold $M$ is the quotient of the $\mathbb{Q}(A)$-vector space spanned by isotopy classes of links in $M$ by the Kauffman relations. A conjecture of Witten states that if $M$ is closed then $K(M)$ is finite dimensional. We introduce a version of this conjecture for manifolds with boundary and prove a stability property for generic Dehn-filling of knots. As a result we provide the first hyperbolic examples of the conjecture, proving that almost all Dehn-fillings of any two-bridge knot satisfies the conjecture.
X.S. Lin and O. Dasbach proved that the sum of the absolute value of the second and penultimate coefficients of the Jones polynomial of an alternating knot is equal to the twist number of the knot. In this paper we give a new proof of their result using Khovanov homology. The proof is by induction on the number of crossings using the long exact sequence in Khovanov homology corresponding to the Kauffman bracket skein relation.
The purpose of this paper is to present a new periodicity criterion. For that purpose, we study the HOMFLY-PT polynomial and the Kauffman polynomial of cables of periodic links. Furthermore, we exhibit a couple of examples for which our criterion is stronger than many previously know criteria, among which is the Khovanov homology criterion of Borodzik and the second author.
The Kauffman-Vogel polynomials are three variable polynomial invariants of $4$-valent rigid vertex graphs. A one-variable specialization of the Kauffman-Vogel polynomials for unoriented $4$-valent rigid vertex graphs was given by using the Kauffman bracket and the Jones-Wenzl idempotent colored with $2$. Bataineh, Elhamdadi and Hajij generalized it to any color with even positive integers. We give another generalization of the one-variable Kauffman-Vogel polynomial for oriented and unoriented $4$-valent rigid vertex graphs by using the $A_2$ bracket and the $A_2$ clasps. These polynomial invar…
A sequence of $F$-polynomials $\{ F^n_K (t, \ell)\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ of virtual knots $K$ was defined by Kaur, Prabhakar, and Vesnin in 2018. These polynomials have been expressed in terms of index value of crossing and $n$-writhe of $K$. By the construction, $F$-polynomials are generalizations of the Kauffman's Affine Index Polynomial, and are invariants of virtual knot $K$. We present values of $F$-polynomials of oriented virtual knots having at most four classical crossings in a diagram.
We introduce two sequences of two-variable polynomials $\{ L^n_K (t, \ell)\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ and $\{ F^n_K (t, \ell)\}_{n=1}^{\infty}$, expressed in terms of index value of a crossing and $n$-dwrithe value of a virtual knot $K$, where $t$ and $\ell$ are variables. Basing on the fact that $n$-dwrithe is a flat virtual knot invariant we prove that $L^n_K$ and $F^n_K$ are virtual knot invariants containing Kauffman affine index polynomial as a particular case. Using $L^n_K$ we give sufficient conditions when virtual knot does not admit cosmetic crossing change.
Given any unoriented link diagram, a group of new knot invariants are constructed. Each of them satisfies a generalized 4 term skein relation. The coefficients of each invariant is from a commutative ring. Homomorphisms and representations of such a ring defines new link invariants. In this sense, they produce the well-known Kauffman bracket, the Kauffman 2-variable polynomial, and the $Q$-polynomial.
We compute the Kauffman skein module of the complement of torus knots in S^3. Precisely, we show that these modules are isomorphic to the algebra of Sl(2,C)-characters tensored with the ring of Laurent polynomials.