English

Semisimple tunnels

Geometric Topology 2011-08-05 v2

Abstract

A knot in the 3-sphere in genus-1 1-bridge position (called a (1,1)-position) can be described by an element of the braid group of two points in the torus. Our main results tell how to translate between a braid group element and the sequence of slope invariants of the upper and lower tunnels of the (1,1)-position. After using them to verify previous calculations of the slope invariants for all tunnels of 2-bridge knots and (1,1)-tunnels of torus knots, we obtain characterizations of the slope sequences of tunnels of 2-bridge knots, and of a class of tunnels we call toroidal. The main results lead to a general algorithm to calculate the slope invariants of the upper and lower tunnels from a braid description. The algorithm has been implemented as software, and we give some sample computations.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1006.5232,
  title  = {Semisimple tunnels},
  author = {Sangbum Cho and Darryl McCullough},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1006.5232},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

Revision of first version. Minor rewriting throughout, and several sections of background material added. (-2,3,7)-pretzel knot example removed for writeup with related material, otherwise no significant change in content

R2 v1 2026-06-21T15:41:36.880Z