English

Intersection Alexander polynomials

Geometric Topology 2011-03-31 v1 Algebraic Topology

Abstract

By considering a (not necessarily locally-flat) PL knot as the singular locus of a PL stratified pseudomanifold, we can use intersection homology theory to define intersection Alexander polynomials, a generalization of the classical Alexander polynomial invariants for smooth or PL locally-flat knots. We show that the intersection Alexander polynomials satisfy certain duality and normalization conditions analogous to those of ordinary Alexander polynomials, and we explore the relationships between the intersection Alexander polynomials and certain generalizations of the classical Alexander polynomials that are defined for non-locally-flat knots. We also investigate the relations between the intersection Alexander polynomials of a knot and the intersection and classical Alexander polynomials of the link knots around the singular strata. To facilitate some of these investigations, we introduce spectral sequences for the computation of the intersection homology of certain stratified bundles.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0307153,
  title  = {Intersection Alexander polynomials},
  author = {Greg Friedman},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0307153},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

To appear in Topology; see also http://math.yale.edu/~friedman