Related papers: On closed oriented surfaces in the 3-sphere
Let S be an immersed horizontal surface in a 3-dimensional graph manifold. We show that the fundamental group of the surface S is quadratically distorted whenever the surface is virtually embedded (i.e., separable) and is exponentially…
We work in the smooth category. Let $N$ be a closed connected orientable 4-manifold with torsion free $H_1$, where $H_q := H_q(N; \mathbb Z)$. Our main result is a readily calculable classification of embeddings $N\to\mathbb R^7$ up to…
We give an infinite family of embeddings of $\mathbb{R} P^2$ to $S^4$ such that they are mutually topologically isotopic however are not smoothly isotopic to each other. Moreover, they are topologically isotopic to the standard $P^2$-knot.…
A marked strongly invertible knot is a triple $(K,h,\delta)$ of a knot $K$ in $S^3$, a strong inversion $h$ of $K$, and a subarc $\delta \subset \operatorname{Fix}(h)\cong S^1$ bounded by $\operatorname{Fix}(h)\cap K\cong S^0$. An invariant…
We study the existence of incompressible embeddings of surfaces into the genus two handlebody. We show that for every compact surface with boundary, orientable or not, there is an incompressible embedding of the surface into the genus two…
Holonomy invariants in strict higher gauge theory have been studied in depth, aiming to applications to higher Chern-Simons theory. For a flat 2-connection, the holonomy of surface knots of arbitrary genus has been defined and its…
In this paper we define and investigate Z/2-homology cobordism invariants of Z/2-homology 3-spheres which turn out to be related to classical invariants of knots. As an application we show that many lens spaces have infinite order in the…
We define an invariant of welded virtual knots from each finite crossed module by considering crossed module invariants of ribbon knotted surfaces which are naturally associated with them. We elucidate that the invariants obtained are non…
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.
Let $K\subset S^3$ be a knot, $X:= S^3\setminus K$ its complement, and $\mathbb{T}$ the circle group identified with $\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z}$. To any oriented long knot diagram of $K$, we associate a quadratic polynomial in variables…
We consider the space of embeddings of finitely many circles that bound disks in non-positively curved surfaces. We index the connected components of this space with finite rooted trees and show that the connected components are classifying…
We introduce a new algebraic topological technique to detect non-fibred knots in the three sphere using the twisted Alexander invariants. As an application, we show that for any Seifert matrix of a knot with a nontrivial Alexander…
We compare the deformation theory and the analytic structure of the Seiberg-Witten moduli spaces of a K\"ahler surface to the corresponding components of the Hilbert scheme, and show that they are isomorphic. Next we show how to compute the…
Expanding on work by Conway, Orson, and Powell, we study the isotopy classes rel. boundary of nonorientable, compact, locally flatly embedded surfaces in $D^4$ with knot group $\mathbb{Z}_2$. In particular we show that if two such surfaces…
For a graph G embedded in an orientable surface \Sigma, we consider associated links L(G) in the thickened surface \Sigma \times I. We relate the HOMFLY polynomial of L(G) to the recently defined Bollobas-Riordan polynomial of a ribbon…
The fundamental quandle is a complete invariant for unoriented tame knots \cite{JO, Ma} and non-split links \cite{FR}. The proof involves proving a relationship between the components of the fundamental quandle and the cosets of the…
This paper continues the study of finite-type invariants of homology spheres studied by Ohtsuki and Garoufalidis. We apply the surgery classification of links to give a diagrammatic description, using ideas of Ohtsuki. This uses a…
We discuss differences between genera of smooth and locally-flat non-orientable surfaces in the 4-ball with boundary a given torus knot or 2-bridge knot. In particular, we establish that a result by Batson on the smooth non-orientable…
We consider homologically essential simple closed curves on Seifert surfaces of genus one knots in $S^3$, and in particular those that are unknotted or slice in $S^3$. We completely characterize all such curves for most twist knots: they…
We define a Floer-homology invariant for knots in an oriented three-manifold, closely related to the holomorphic disk Floer homologies for three-manifolds defined in an earlier paper. We set up basic properties of these invariants,…