English

Branched covers of quasipositive links and L-spaces

Geometric Topology 2019-03-13 v2

Abstract

Let LL be a oriented link such that Σn(L)\Sigma_n(L), the nn-fold cyclic cover of S3S^3 branched over LL, is an L-space for some n2n \geq 2. We show that if either LL is a strongly quasipositive link other than one with Alexander polynomial a multiple of (t1)2g(L)+(L1)(t-1)^{2g(L) + (|L|-1)}, or LL is a quasipositive link other than one with Alexander polynomial divisible by (t1)2g4(L)+(L1)(t-1)^{2g_4(L) + (|L|-1)}, then there is an integer n(L)n(L), determined by the Alexander polynomial of LL in the first case and the Alexander polynomial of LL and the smooth 44-genus of LL, g4(L)g_4(L), in the second, such that nn(L)n \leq n(L). If KK is a strongly quasipositive knot with monic Alexander polynomial such as an L-space knot, we show that Σn(K)\Sigma_n(K) is not an L-space for n6n \geq 6, and that the Alexander polynomial of KK is a non-trivial product of cyclotomic polynomials if Σn(K)\Sigma_n(K) is an L-space for some n=2,3,4,5n = 2, 3, 4, 5. Our results allow us to calculate the smooth and topological 4-ball genera of, for instance, quasi-alternating quasipositive links. They also allow us to classify strongly quasipositive alternating links and 33-strand pretzel links.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1710.07658,
  title  = {Branched covers of quasipositive links and L-spaces},
  author = {Michel Boileau and Steven Boyer and Cameron McA. Gordon},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1710.07658},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

49 pages, 7 figures, minor corrections and improved exposition, accepted for publication by the Journal of Topology