English

Alternating links have representativity 2

Geometric Topology 2020-08-18 v1

Abstract

We prove that if LL is a non-trivial alternating link embedded (without crossings) in a closed surface FS3F\subset S^3, then FF has a compressing disk whose boundary intersects LL in no more than two points. Moreover, whenever the surface is incompressible and \partial-incompressible in the link exterior, it can be isotoped to have a standard tube at some crossing of any reduced alternating diagram.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1703.03393,
  title  = {Alternating links have representativity 2},
  author = {Thomas Kindred},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1703.03393},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

17 pages, 14 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-22T18:41:28.940Z