Related papers: On Free Knots and Links

The writhe polynomial is a fundamental invariant of an oriented virtual knot. We introduce a kind of local moves for oriented virtual knots called shell moves. The first aim of this paper is to prove that two oriented virtual knots have the…

The connected sum of two flat virtual knots depends on the choice of diagrams and basepoints. We show that any minimal crossing diagram of a composite flat virtual knot is a connected sum diagram. We also show the crossing number of flat…

Multicrossings, which have previously been defined for classical knots and links, are extended to virtual knots and links. In particular, petal diagrams are shown to exist for all virtual knots.

We enhance the quandle counting invariants of oriented classical and virtual knots and links using a construction similar to quandle modules but inspired by symplectic quandle operations rather than Alexander quandle operations. Given a…

Virtual braids are a combinatorial generalization of braids. We present abstract braids as equivalence classes of braid diagrams on a surface, joining two distinguished boundary components. They are identified up to isotopy, compatibility,…

Virtual knot theory is a generalization of knot theory which is based on Gauss chord diagrams and link diagrams on closed oriented surfaces. A twisted knot is a generalization of a virtual knot, which corresponds to a link diagram on a…

We introduce a local deformation called the virtualized $\Delta$-move for virtual knots and links. We prove that the virtualized $\Delta$-move is an unknotting operation for virtual knots. Furthermore we give a necessary and sufficient…

We use planar 4-valent graphs and a graphical calculus involving such graphs to construct an invariant for balanced-oriented, knotted 4-valent graphs. Our invariant is an extension of the $sl(n)$ polynomial for classical knots and links. We…

Two natural generalizations of knot theory are the study of spatially embedded graphs, and Kauffman's theory of virtual knots. In this paper we combine these approaches to begin the study of virtual spatial graphs.

In the classical knot theory there is a well-known notion of descending diagram. From an arbitrary diagram one can easily obtain, by some crossing changes, a descending diagram which is a diagram of the unknot or unlink. In this paper the…

Based on a recently introduced by the author notion of {\em parity}, in the present paper we construct a sequence of invariants (indexed by natural numbers $m$) of long virtual knots, valued in certain simply-defined group ${\tilde G}_{m}$…

We study RNA foldings and investigate their topology using a combination of knot theory and embedded rigid vertex graphs. Knot theory has been helpful in modeling biomolecules, but classical knots place emphasis on a biomolecule's…

A virtual knot is an equivalence class of embeddings of $ S^1 $ into thickened (closed oriented) surfaces, up to self-diffeomorphism of the surface and certain handle stabilisations. The slice genus of a virtual knot is defined…

This paper is a survey of knot theory and invariants of knots and links from the point of view of categories of diagrams. The topics range from foundations of knot theory to virtual knot theory and topological quantum field theory.

Mosaic diagrams for knots were first introduced in 2008 by Lomanoco and Kauffman for the purpose of building a quantum knot system. Since then, many others have explored the structure of these knot mosaic diagrams, as they are interesting…

In the present paper, we consider local moves on classical and welded diagrams: (self-)crossing change, (self-)virtualization, virtual conjugation, Delta, fused, band-pass and welded band-pass moves. Interrelationship between these moves is…

The combinatorial approach to knot theory treats knots as diagrams modulo Reidemeister moves. Many constructions of knot invariants (e.g., index polynomials, quandle colorings, etc.) use elements of diagrams such as arcs and crossings by…

We introduce \textit{dual graph diagrams} representing oriented knots and links. We use these combinatorial structures to define corresponding algebraic structures we call \textit{biquasiles} whose axioms are motivated by dual graph…

We introduce an up-down coloring of a virtual-link diagram. The colorabilities give a lower bound of the minimum number of Reidemeister moves of type II which are needed between two 2-component virtual-link diagrams. By using the notion of…

We extend the Yang-Baxter cocycle invariants for virtual knots by augmenting Yang-Baxter 2-cocycles with cocycles from a cohomology theory associated to a virtual biquandle structure. These invariants coincide with the classical Yang-Baxter…