Higher dimensional cable knots and their finite cyclic covering spaces

As an analogue of the classical cable knot, the p-cable n-knot about an n-knot K, where p is an integer and n?2, is defined, and some basic properties of higher dimensional cable knots are described. We show that for p>0 then p-fold branched cyclic covering space of an (n+2)-sphere branched over the p-cable knot about an n-knot K is an (n+2)-sphere or a homotopy (n+2)-sphere which is the result of Gluck-surgery on the composition of p copies of K according as if p is odd or even. At the same time, we prove that for any n?2 and p?2, the composition of p copies of any n-knot K is the fixed point set of a Z_p-action on an (n+2)-sphere. This is another counterexample to the higher dimensional Smith conjecture.     

The Hopf invariant of a Haefliger knot

We show that for any given differentiable embedding of the three-sphere in six-space there exists a Seifert surface (in six-space) with arbitrarily prescribed signature. This implies, according to our previous paper, that given such a (6,3)-knot endowed with normal one-field, we can construct a Seifert surface so that the outward normal field along its boundary coincides with the given normal one-field. This aspect enables us to understand the resemblance between Ekholm–Szűcs’ formula for the Smale invariant and a formula in our previous paper for differentiable (6,3)-knots. As a consequence, we show that an immersion of the three-sphere in five-space can be regularly homotoped to the projection of an embedding in six-space if and only if its Smale invariant is even. We also correct a sign error in our previous paper: “A geometric formula for Haefliger knots” [Topology 43: 1425–1447 2004].      

Triple point cancelling numbers of surface links and quandle cocycle invariants

The unknotting or triple point cancelling number of a surface link F is the least number of 1-handles for F such that the 2-knot obtained from F by surgery along them is unknotted or pseudo-ribbon, respectively. These numbers have been often studied by knot groups and Alexander invariants. On the other hand, quandle colorings and quandle cocycle invariants of surface links were introduced and applied to other aspects, including non-invertibility and triple point numbers. In this paper, we give lower bounds of the unknotting or triple point cancelling numbers of surface links by using quandle colorings and quandle cocycle invariants.     

On the Alexander polynomials of knots with Gordian distance one

We consider a condition on a pair of the Alexander polynomials of knots which are realizable by a pair of knots with Gordian distance one. We show that there are infinitely many mutually disjoint infinite subsets in the set of the Alexander polynomials of knots such that every pair of distinct elements in each subset is not realizable by any pair of knots with Gordian distance one. As one of the subsets, we have an infinite set containing the Alexander polynomials of the trefoil knot and the figure eight knot. We also show that every pair of distinct Alexander polynomials such that one is the Alexander polynomial of a slice knot is realizable by a pair of knots of Gordian distance one, so that every pair of distinct elements in the infinite subset consisting of the Alexander polynomials of slice knots is realizable by a pair of knots with Gordian distance one. These results solve problems given by Y. Nakanishi and by I. Jong.     

Scharlemann-Thompson Invariant for Knots with Unknotting Tunnels and the Distance of (1,1)-Splittings

Scharlemann and Thompson introduced an invariant (K,) Q/2Z forthe pair of a knot K in the 3-sphere and an unknotting tunnel for K. The paper studies the relationship between the invariant(K, ) of a (1,1)-knot and the distance of its (1,1)-splittingintroduced by the author.     

Vanishing of a certain kind of Vassiliev invariants of 2-knots

In knot theory, Vassiliev's 1-knot invariants are defined in a combinatorial way as finite type invariants. By a natural generalization of the combinatorial definition, one has a certain family of 2-knot invariants, which should be called finite type 2-knot invariants. They form a subspace of the whole space of ``Vassiliev 2-knot invariants'. In this paper we prove that it is 1-dimensional.

     

Colored Turaev-Viro invariants of twist knots

In the present paper we give a formula for colored Turaev-Viro invariants of twist knots using special polyhedra derived from (1,1)-decomposition of the knots.     

Iterative processes based on block <Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-splittings

Block H-splittings of block square matrices (which, in general, have complex entries) are examined. It is shown that block H-matrices are the only ones that admit this type of splittings. Iterative processes corresponding to these splittings are proved to be convergent. The concept of a simple splitting of a block matrix is introduced, and the convergence of iterative processes related to simple splittings of block H-matrices is investigated. Multisplitting and nonstationary iterative processes based on block H-splittings are considered. Sufficient conditions for their convergence are derived, and some estimates for the asymptotic convergence rate are given.     

High distance Heegaard splittings of 3-manifolds

J. Hempel [J. Hempel, 3-manifolds as viewed from the curve complex, Topology 40 (3) (2001) 631-657] used the curve complex associated to the Heegaard surface of a splitting of a 3-manifold to study its complexity. He introduced the distance of a Heegaard splitting as the distance between two subsets of the curve complex associated to the handlebodies. Inspired by a construction of T. Kobayashi [T. Kobayashi, Casson-Gordon's rectangle condition of Heegaard diagrams and incompressible tori in 3-manifolds, Osaka J. Math. 25 (3) (1988) 553-573], J. Hempel [J. Hempel, 3-manifolds as viewed from the curve complex, Topology 40 (3) (2001) 631-657] proved the existence of arbitrarily high distance Heegaard splittings.In this work we explicitly define an infinite sequence of 3-manifolds {Mn} via their representative Heegaard diagrams by iterating a 2-fold Dehn twist operator. Using purely combinatorial techniques we are able to prove that the distance of the Heegaard splitting of Mn is at least n.Moreover, we show that π₁(Mn) surjects onto π₁(Mn−1). Hence, if we assume that M⁰ has nontrivial boundary then it follows that the first Betti number β₁(Mn)>0 for all n?1. Therefore, the sequence {Mn} consists of Haken 3-manifolds for n?1 and hyperbolizable 3-manifolds for n?3.     

An effective algorithm to get linking numbers of 3-manifolds

Summary A colored triangulation of a 3-manifoldM ³ is a decomposition into tetrahedra so that each vertex of them receive one of the colors 0, 1, 2, 3 in such a way that each tetrahedron has four differently colored vertices. From the combinatorics of the dual of a colored triangulation forM ³ we provide an easy algorithm to get a special kind of intersection matrix; from this matrix and from the torsion coefficients of the firstZ-homology group ofM ³ we provide a formula which yields its linking numbers.     

A remark on the faces of the cone of Euclidean distance matrices

A new characterization of the faces of the cone of Euclidean distance matrices (EDMs) was recently obtained by Tarazaga in terms of LGS(D), a special subspace associated with each EDM D. In this note we show that LGS(D) is nothing but the Gale subspace associated with EDMs.     

Multispherical Euclidean distance matrices

In this paper we introduce new necessary and sufficient conditions for an Euclidean distance matrix to be multispherical. The class of multispherical distance matrices studied in this paper contains not only most of the matrices studied by Hayden et al. (1996) 2, but also many other multispherical structures that do not satisfy the conditions in Hayden et al. (1996) 2.We also study the information provided by the origin of coordinates when it is placed at the center of the spheres and the origin representation property is satisfied. These vectors associated with the origin of coordinates generate a number of supporting hyperplanes for a family of multispherical matrices and also describe part of the null space of the corresponding distance matrices.     

The distance between two separating,reducing slopes is at most 4

Let M be a simple 3-manifold such that one component of ∂M, say F, has genus at least two. For a slope α on F, we denote by M(α) the manifold obtained by attaching a 2-handle to M along a regular neighborhood of α on F. If M(α) is reducible, then α is called a reducing slope. In this paper, we shall prove that the distance between two separating, reducing slopes on F is at most 4. This work is supported by NSFC (10625102).     

Three-dimensional Lie group actions on compact (4n+3)-dimensional geometric manifolds

The (4n+3)-dimensional sphere S⁴ⁿ⁺³ can be viewed as the boundary of the quaternionic hyperbolic space and the group PSp(n+1,1) of quaternionic hyperbolic isometries extends to a real analytic transitive action on S⁴ⁿ⁺³. We call the pair (PSp(n+1,1),S⁴ⁿ⁺³) a spherical Q C-C geometry. A manifold M locally modelled on this geometry is said to be a spherical Q C-C manifold. We shall classify all pairs (G,M) where G is a three-dimensional connected Lie group which acts smoothly and almost freely on a compact spherical Q C-C manifold M, preserving the geometric structure. As an application, we shall determine all compact 3-pseudo-Sasakian manifolds admitting spherical Q C-C structures.     

Vassiliev invariants and the Poincaré conjecture

This article examines the relationship between 3-manifold topology and knot invariants of finite type. We prove that in every Whitehead manifold there exist knots that cannot be distinguished by Vassiliev invariants. If, on the other hand, Vassiliev invariants distinguish knots in each homotopy sphere, then the Poincaré conjecture is true (i.e. every homotopy 3-sphere is homeomorphic to the standard 3-sphere).     

Crossing distances of surface-knots

A surface-knot is an embedded closed connected oriented surface in 4-space. A surface diagram is a projection of a surface-knot into 3-space with crossing information. In this paper we define a distance from a special surface diagram to a trivial diagram as the minimal number of special double cycles, where we can change the crossing information to obtain the trivial diagram. We estimate the distance using the number of 1-handles needed to obtain a trivial diagram.     

On the Reflexivity of Cappell-Shaneson 2-Knots

We show that up to change of orientation there is only one Cappell-Shaneson2-knot which is determined by its exterior.     

Diffeomorphism classification of finite group actions on disks

In this paper we discuss the diffeomorphism classification of finite group actions on disks. We answer the question when an action on a space M can be extended to an action on a disk such that the action is free away from M. Let the singular set consist of the points with nontrivial isotropy group. We show (under some dimension assumptions) that disks with diffeomorphic neighborhoods of the singular set can be imbedded into each other. As a consequence we find a classification of group actions on disks in terms of the neighborhood of the singular set and an element in the Whitehead group of G.     

HNN bases and high-dimensional knots

There exists a -knot group having HNN bases of two types: bases that are arbitrarily large finitely presented and bases that are arbitrarily large finitely generated but not finitely presented. Any -knot with such a group has a Seifert manifold that can be converted to a minimal one by a finite sequence of ambient - and -surgeries, but cannot be converted by -surgeries alone.

     

Embeddings of homology equivalent manifolds with boundary

We prove a theorem on equivariant maps implying the following two corollaries:(1) Let N and M be compact orientable n-manifolds with boundaries such that M⊂N, the inclusion M→N induces an isomorphism in integral cohomology, both M and N have (n−d−1)-dimensional spines and . Then the restriction-induced map Embm(N)→Embm(M) is bijective. Here Embm(X) is the set of embeddings X→Rm up to isotopy (in the PL or smooth category).(2) For a 3-manifold N with boundary whose integral homology groups are trivial and such that N?D³ (or for its special 2-spine N) there exists an equivariant map , although N does not embed into R³.The second corollary completes the answer to the following question: for which pairs (m,n) for each n-polyhedron N the existence of an equivariant map implies embeddability of N into Rm? An answer was known for each pair (m,n) except (3,3) and (3,2).