Notes on braidzel surfaces for links

As a generalization of pretzel surfaces, L. Rudolph has introduced a notion of braidzel surfaces in his study of the quasipositivity for pretzel surfaces. In this paper, we show that any oriented link has a braidzel surface. We also introduce a new geometric numerical invariant of links with respect to their braidzel surface and study relationships among them and other ``genus' for links.

     

Polynomial invariants and quandles of twisted links

Bourgoin defined the notion of a twisted link which corresponds to a stable equivalence class of links in oriented thickenings. It is a generalization of a virtual link. Some invariants of virtual links are extended for twisted links including the knot group and the Jones polynomial. In this paper, we generalize a multivariable polynomial invariant of a virtual link to a twisted link. We also introduce a quandle of a twisted link.     

A Lower Bound for the Crossing Number of Links in Thickened Surfaces

We introduce the notion of homological multiplicity for an oriented link in a thickened orientable closed surface. Using the notion, we establish some lower bounds for the crossing number of a link in thickened surfaces.     

Khovanov-Jacobsson numbers and invariants of surface-knots derived from Bar-Natan's theory

Khovanov introduced a cohomology theory for oriented classical links whose graded Euler characteristic is the Jones polynomial. Since Khovanov's theory is functorial for link cobordisms between classical links, we obtain an invariant of a surface-knot, called the Khovanov-Jacobsson number, by considering the surface-knot as a link cobordism between empty links. In this paper, we study an extension of the Khovanov-Jacobsson number derived from Bar-Natan's theory, and prove that any -knot has trivial Khovanov-Jacobsson number.

     

Boundaries of Flat Compact Surfaces in 3-Space

This paper deals with the problem `which knots or links in3-space bound flat (immersed) compact surfaces?' In aforthcoming paper by the author, it is proven that any simple closedspace curve can be deformed until it bounds a flat orientable compact(Seifert) surface. The main results of this paper are that there existknots that do not bound any flat compact surfaces. The lower bound oftotal curvature of a knot bounding an orientable nonnegatively curvedcompact surface can, for varying knot types, be arbitrarily much greaterthan the infimum of curvature needed for the knot to have its knot type.The number of 3-singular points (points of zero curvatureor if not then of zero torsion) on the boundary of a flat immersedcompact surface is greater than or equal to twice the absolute value ofthe Euler characteristic of the surface. A set of necessary and, in aweakened sense, sufficient conditions for a knot or link to be what wecall a generic boundary of a flat immersed compact surface withoutplanar regions is given.     

On Rational Knots and Links in the Solid Torus

We introduce the notion of rational links in the solid torus. We show that rational links in the solid torus are fully characterized by rational tangles, and hence by the continued fraction of the rational tangle. Furthermore, we generalize this by giving an infinite family of ambient isotopy invariants of colored diagrams in the Kauffman bracket skein module of an oriented surface.     

Quandle homotopy invariants of knotted surfaces

Given a finite quandle, we introduce a quandle homotopy invariant of knotted surfaces in the 4-sphere, modifying that of classical links. This invariant is valued in the third homotopy group of the quandle space, and is universal among the (generalized) quandle cocycle invariants. We compute the second and third homotopy groups, with respect to “regular Alexander quandles”. As a corollary, any quandle cocycle invariant using the dihedral quandle of prime order is a scalar multiple of Mochizuki 3-cocycle invariant. As another result, we determine the third quandle homology group of the dihedral quandle of odd order.     

Strongly invertible links and divides

To a proper generic immersion of a finite number of copies of the unit interval in a 2-disc, called a divide, A’Campo associates a link in S³. From the more general notion of ordered Morse signed divides, one obtains a braid presentation of links of divides. In this paper, we prove that every strongly invertible link is isotopic to the link of an ordered Morse signed divide. We give fundamental moves for ordered Morse signed divides and show that strongly invertible links are equivalent if and only if we can pass from one ordered Morse signed divide to the other by a sequence of such moves. Then we associate a polynomial to an ordered Morse signed divide, invariant for these moves. So this polynomial is invariant for the equivalence of strongly invertible links.     

An Invariant Theory of Spacelike Surfaces in the Four-dimensional Minkowski Space

We consider spacelike surfaces in the four-dimensional Minkowski space and introduce geometrically an invariant linear map of Weingarten-type in the tangent plane at any point of the surface under consideration. This allows us to introduce principal lines and an invariant moving frame field. Writing derivative formulas of Frenet-type for this frame field, we obtain eight invariant functions. We prove a fundamental theorem of Bonnet-type, stating that these eight invariants under some natural conditions determine the surface up to a motion. We show that the basic geometric classes of spacelike surfaces in the four-dimensional Minkowski space, determined by conditions on their invariants, can be interpreted in terms of the properties of the two geometric figures: the tangent indicatrix, and the normal curvature ellipse. We apply our theory to a class of spacelike general rotational surfaces.     

Qualitative Analysis of Systems of Itô Stochastic Differential Equations

For inhomogeneous systems of Itô stochastic differential equations, we introduce the notion of local invariance of surfaces and the notion of local first integral. We obtain results that give the general possibility of finding invariant surfaces and functionally independent first integrals of stochastic differential equations.     

Covering Sato-Levine invariants

Two covering versions of the Sato-Levine invariant are constructed which provide obstructions to certain two-component oriented links in the 3-sphere being link concordant to boundary links. These covering invariants are rational functions one of which detects both nonamphicheirality and noninvertibility of oriented links.

     

Writhe polynomials and shell moves for virtual knots and links

The writhe polynomial is a fundamental invariant of an oriented virtual knot. We introduce a set of local moves for oriented virtual knots called shell moves. The first aim of this paper is to prove that two oriented virtual knots have the same writhe polynomial if and only if they are related by a finite sequence of shell moves. The second aim of this paper is to classify oriented 2-component virtual links up to shell moves by using several invariants of virtual links.     

Invariants and Bonnet-type theorem for surfaces in ℝ4

In the tangent plane at any point of a surface in the four-dimensional Euclidean space we consider an invariant linear map ofWeingarten-type and find a geometrically determined moving frame field. Writing derivative formulas of Frenet-type for this frame field, we obtain eight invariant functions. We prove a fundamental theorem of Bonnet-type, stating that these eight invariants under some natural conditions determine the surface up to a motion. We show that the basic geometric classes of surfaces in the four-dimensional Euclidean space, determined by conditions on their invariants, can be interpreted in terms of the properties of two geometric figures: the tangent indicatrix, which is a conic in the tangent plane, and the normal curvature ellipse. We construct a family of surfaces with flat normal connection.     

Space-like Weingarten surfaces in the three-dimensional Minkowski space and their natural partial differential equations

On any space-like Weingarten surface in the three-dimensional Minkowski space we introduce locally natural principal parameters and prove that such a surface is determined uniquely up to motion by a special invariant function, which satisfies a natural non-linear partial differential equation. This result can be interpreted as a solution to the Lund-Regge reduction problem for space-like Weingarten surfaces in Minkowski space. We apply this theory to linear fractional space-like Weingarten surfaces and obtain the natural non-linear partial differential equations describing them. We obtain a characterization of space-like surfaces, whose curvatures satisfy a linear relation, by means of their natural partial differential equations. We obtain the ten natural PDE’s describing all linear fractional space-like Weingarten surfaces.     

An endomorphism of the Khovanov invariant

We construct an endomorphism of the Khovanov invariant to prove H-thinness and pairing phenomena of the invariants for alternating links. As a consequence, it follows that the Khovanov invariant of an oriented nonsplit alternating link is determined by its Jones polynomial, signature, and the linking numbers of its components.     

Knot theory for self-indexed graphs

We introduce and study so-called self-indexed graphs. These are (oriented) finite graphs endowed with a map from the set of edges to the set of vertices. Such graphs naturally arise from classical knot and link diagrams. In fact, the graphs resulting from link diagrams have an additional structure, an integral flow. We call a self-indexed graph with integral flow a comte. The analogy with links allows us to define transformations of comtes generalizing the Reidemeister moves on link diagrams. We show that many invariants of links can be generalized to comtes, most notably the linking number, the Alexander polynomials, the link group, etc. We also discuss finite type invariants and quandle cocycle invariants of comtes.

     

Flat grafting deformations of quadratic differentials on surfaces

Geometriae Dedicata - In this paper we introduce flat grafting as a deformation of quadratic differentials on a surface of finite type that is analogous to the grafting map on hyperbolic surfaces....     

Maximal Thurston-Bennequin numbers of alternating links

We show that the upper bound of the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number for an oriented alternating link given by the Kauffman polynomial is sharp. As an application, we confirm a question of Ferrand. We also give a formula of the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number for all two-bridge links. Finally, we introduce knot concordance invariants derived from the Thurston-Bennequin number and the Maslov number of a Legendrian knot.     

Particles with spin in stationary flat spacetimes

We construct stationary flat three-dimensional Lorentzian manifolds with singularities that are obtained from Euclidean surfaces with cone singularities and closed one-forms on these surfaces. In the application to (2?+?1)-gravity, these spacetimes correspond to models containing massive particles with spin. We analyse their geometrical properties, introduce a generalised notion of global hyperbolicity and classify all stationary flat spacetimes with singularities that are globally hyperbolic in that sense. We then apply our results to (2?+?1)-gravity and analyse the causality structure of these spacetimes in terms of measurements by observers. In particular, we derive a condition on observers that excludes causality violating light signals despite the presence of closed timelike curves in these spacetimes.