Related papers: On braided, banded surfaces and ribbon obstruction…
We produce infinite families of knots $\{K^i\}_{i\geq 1}$ for which the set of cables $\{K^i_{p,1}\}_{i,p\geq 1}$ is linearly independent in the knot concordance group. We arrange that these examples lie arbitrarily deep in the solvable and…
Recently Witten introduced a type IIB brane construction with certain boundary conditions to study knot invariants and Khovanov homology. The essential ingredients used in his work are the topologically twisted N = 4 Yang-Mills theory,…
Let $\phi : S^1\times D^2\to S^1$ be the natural projection. An oriented knot $K\hookrightarrow V = S^1\times D^2$ is called an almost closed braid if the restriction of $\phi$ to K has exactly two (non-degenerate) critical points (and K is…
In this paper, we use skein-theoretic techniques to classify all virtual knot polynomials and trivalent graph invariants with certain smallness conditions. The first half of the paper classifies all virtual knot polynomials giving…
Construction of (colored) knot polynomials for double-fat graphs is further generalized to the case when "fingers" and "propagators" are substituting R-matrices in arbitrary closed braids with m-strands. Original version of arXiv:1504.00371…
The unknotting number $u$ and the genus $g$ of braid positive knots are equal, as shown by Rudolph. We prove the stronger statement that any positive braid diagram of a genus $g$ knot contains $g$ crossings, such that changing them produces…
We connect Braided Ribbon Networks to the states of loop quantum gravity. Using this connection we present the reduced link as an invariant which captures information from the embedding of the spin-networks. We also present a means of…
This paper gives a connection between well chosen reductions of the Links-Gould invariants of oriented links and powers of the Alexander-Conway polynomial. We prove these formulas by showing the representations of the braid groups we derive…
In this paper we introduce the tied links, i.e. ordinary links provided with some ties between strands. The motivation for introducing such objects originates from a diagrammatical interpretation of the defining generators of the so-called…
We define a new algebraic structure called a \emph{pointed rack} and use it to construct ambient isotopy invariants of $ n $-braids. We first introduce an integer-valued invariant of braids using pointed racks. This is then strengthened by…
We define a quasihomomorphism from braid groups to the concordance group of knots and examine its properties and consequences of its existence. In particular, we provide a relation between the stable four ball genus in the concordance group…
We study the Vassiliev knot invariant v_2 of degree 2. We present it via the degrees of maps of various configuration spaces related to a knot to products of spheres. This gives rise to numerous geometrical and combinatorial formulas for…
This work identifies a class of moves on knots which translate to $m$-equivalences of the associated $p$-fold branched cyclic covers, for a fixed $m$ and any $p$ (with respect to the Goussarov-Habiro filtration.) These moves are applied to…
We construct a mixed invariant of non-orientable surfaces from the Lee and Bar-Natan deformations of Khovanov homology and use it to distinguish pairs of surfaces bounded by the same knot, including some exotic examples.
We construct two distinct yet related M-theory models that provide suitable frameworks for the study of knot invariants. We then focus on the four-dimensional gauge theory that follows from appropriately compactifying one of these M-theory…
We show that two knots have matching Vassiliev invariants of order less than n if and only if they are equivalent modulo the nth group of the lower central series of some pure braid group, thus characterizing Vassiliev's knot invariants in…
Torus knots are an important family of knots about which much is understood; invariants of torus knots often exhibit nice formulas, making them convenient and fundamental building blocks for examples in knot theory. Spiral knots, defined…
Ng constructed an invariant of knots in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$, a combinatorial knot contact homology. Extending his study, we construct an invariant of surface-knots in ${\mathbb{R}}^4$ using diagrams in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$.
We construct an invariant of virtual knots which is a sliceness obstruction and sensitive to the $\Delta$-move. This invariants works if $\Z_{2}\oplus \Z_{2}$-index of chords is present.
We study the crossing matrix of a braid and introduce a polynomial invariant for braid systems that is invariant under Hurwitz equivalence. As an application to the study of surface braids and surface links, we also define an invariant that…