Related papers: Computing the crosscap number of a knot using inte…
The reconstruction of an unknown quantity from noisy measurements is a mathematical problem relevant in most applied sciences, for example, in medical imaging, radar inverse scattering, or astronomy. This underlying mathematical problem is…
We consider the relationship between the crosscap number $\gamma$ of knots and a partial order on the set of all prime knots, which is defined as follows. For two knots $K$ and $J$, we say $K \geq J$ if there exists an epimorphism…
In mathematics, a knot is a single strand of string crossed over itself any number of times, and connected at the ends. The Reidemeister Moves have been proven to be the three core moves necessary to fully untangle a knot. Some knots can be…
We analyze the connections between the mathematical theory of knots and quantum physics by addressing a number of algorithmic questions related to both knots and braid groups. Knots can be distinguished by means of `knot invariants', among…
We consider the problem of deciding whether a polygonal knot in 3-dimensional Euclidean space is unknotted, capable of being continuously deformed without self-intersection so that it lies in a plane. We show that this problem, {\sc…
A Gauss diagram is a simple, combinatorial way to present a knot. It is known that any Vassiliev invariant may be obtained from a Gauss diagram formula that involves counting (with signs and multiplicities) subdiagrams of certain…
We construct two complete invariants of oriented classical knots in space. The value of each invariant on any knot is a set, infinite for the first invariant and finite for the second. The finite set is computed algorithmically from any…
We introduce three kinds of invariants of a virtual knot called the first, second, and third intersection polynomials. The definition is based on the intersection number of a pair of curves on a closed surface. The calculations of…
We study three knot invariants related to smoothly immersed disks in the four-ball. These are the four-ball crossing number, which is the minimal number of normal double points of such a disk bounded by a given knot; the slicing number,…
This paper employs various computational techniques to determine the bridge numbers of both classical and virtual knots. For classical knots, there is no ambiguity of what the bridge number means. For virtual knots, there are multiple…
The scramble number of a graph is an invariant recently developed to aid in the study of divisorial gonality. In this paper we prove that scramble number is NP-hard to compute, also providing a proof that computing gonality is NP-hard even…
The probability of a random polygon (or a ring polymer) having a knot type $K$ should depend on the complexity of the knot $K$. Through computer simulation using knot invariants, we show that the knotting probability decreases exponentially…
We introduce two numerical invariants, the waist and the trunk of knots. The waist of a closed incompressible surface in the complement of a knot is defined as the minimal intersection number of all compressing disks for the surface in the…
We show that the triple-crossing number of any knot is greater or equal to twice its (canonical) genus and we show an even stronger bound in the case of links. As an application we show that this bound is strong enough to obtain the…
We proved by computer enumeration that the Jones polynomial distinguishes the unknot for knots up to 22 crossings. Following an approach of Yamada, we generated knot diagrams by inserting algebraic tangles into Conway polyhedra, computed…
This thesis develops some general calculational techniques for finding the orders of knots in the topological concordance group C. The techniques currently available in the literature are either too theoretical, applying to only a small…
The topological underpinnings are presented for a new algorithm which answers the question: `Is a given knot the unknot?' The algorithm uses the braid foliation technology of Bennequin and of Birman and Menasco. The approach is to consider…
In low-dimensional topology, many important decision algorithms are based on normal surface enumeration, which is a form of vertex enumeration over a high-dimensional and highly degenerate polytope. Because this enumeration is subject to…
A knot is an an embedding of a circle into three-dimensional space. We say that a knot is unknotted if there is an ambient isotopy of the embedding to a standard circle. By representing knots via planar diagrams, we discuss the problem of…
We extend an approach of Beliakova for computing knot Floer homology and implement it in a publicly available computer program. We review the main programming and optimization methods used. Our program is then used to check that the Floer…