Related papers: Elementary proof of existence of the Alexander-Con…

Previous work has shown that certain leading orders of arbitrary Vassiliev invariants are generically in the algebra of the coefficients of the Alexander-Conway polynomial \cite{KSA}. Here we illustrate this for a large class of examples,…

We study 3-dimensional BF theories and define observables related to knots and links. The quantum expectation values of these observables give the coefficients of the Alexander-Conway polynomial.

The Alexander polynomial (1928) is the first polynomial invariant of links devised to help distinguish links up to isotopy. Fox's conjecture (1962) -- stating that the absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial for any…

We show two results about the Conway potential function which is known as the normalized multivariable Alexander polynomial. We first show that the Conway potential function introduced by Kauffman in "Formal Knot Theory" is indeed a link…

We give necessary conditions for a polynomial to be the Conway polynomial of a two-bridge link. As a consequence, we obtain simple proofs of the classical theorems of Murasugi and Hartley. We give a modulo 2 congruence for links, which…

We consider an algebra of (classical or virtual) tangles over an ordered circuit operad and introduce Conway-type invariants of tangles which respect this algebraic structure. The resulting invariants contain both the coefficients of the…

A polynomial invariant of virtual links, arising from an invariant of links in thickened surfaces introduced by Jaeger, Kauffman, and Saleur, is defined and its properties are investigated. Examples are given that the invariant can detect…

Fox's conjecture from 1962, that the absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial of an alternating link are trapezoidal, has remained stubbornly open to this date. Recently Fox's conjecture was settled for all special…

Polynomial invariants constitute a dynamic and essential area of study in the mathematical theory of knots. From the pioneer Alexander polynomial, the revolutionary Jones polynomial, to the collectively discovered HOMFLYPT polynomial, just…

Fox's conjecture (1962) states that the sequence of absolute values of the coefficients of the Alexander polynomial of alternating links is trapezoidal. While the conjecture remains open in general, a number of special cases have been…

We prove that the Alexander polynomials of certain families of alternating 4-braid knots satisfy Fox's Trapezoidal Conjecture. Moreover, we give explicit formulas for the signature and for the first 4 coefficients of the Alexander…

We consider Conway polynomials of two-bridge links as Euler continuant polynomials. As a consequence, we obtain new and elementary proofs of classical Murasugi's 1958 alternating theorem and Hartley's 1979 trapezoidal theorem. We give a…

This paper shows how the Formal Knot Theory state model for the Alexander-Conway polynomial is related to Knot Floer Homology. In particular we prove a parity result about the states in this model that clarifies certain relationships of the…

The central question of knot theory is that of distinguishing links up to isotopy. The first polynomial invariant of links devised to help answer this question was the Alexander polynomial (1928). Almost a century after its introduction, it…

J.P. Levine showed that the Conway polynomial of a link is a product of two factors: one is the Conway polynomial of a knot which is obtained from the link by banding together the components; and the other is determined by the…

J. Davis showed that the topological concordance class of a link in the 3-sphere is uniquely determined by its Alexander polynomial for 2-component links with Alexander polynomial one. A similar result for knots with Alexander polynomial…

The Links--Gould invariant $\mathrm{LG}(L ; t_0, t_1)$ of a link $L$ is a two-variable quantum generalization of the Alexander--Conway polynomial $\Delta_L(t)$ and has been shown to share some of its most geometric features in several…

This talk is a report on joint work with A. Vaintrob [arXiv:math.CO/0109104 and math.GT/0111102]. It is organised as follows. We begin by recalling how the classical Matrix-Tree Theorem relates two different expressions for the lowest…

We give positive answer to two conjectures posed by M. E. H Ismail in his monograph [Classical and quantum orthogonal polynomials in one variable, Cambridge University Press, 2005].

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…