Related papers: Rational Link Fertility
A knot $K$ is called $(m,n)$-fertile if for every prime knot $K'$ whose crossing number is less than or equal to $m$, there exists an $n$-crossing diagram of $K$ such that one can get $K'$ from the diagram by changing its over-under…
In this paper, we introduce a new type of relation between knots called the descendant relation. One knot $H$ is a descendant of another knot $K$ if $H$ can be obtained from a minimal crossing diagram of $K$ by some number of crossing…
We show that a knot whose minimum crossing number $c(K)$ is even and greater than $30$ is not fertile; there exists a knot $K'$ with crossing number less than $c$ such that $K'$ is not obtained from a minimum crossing number diagram of $K$…
We compute the next-to-top term of knot Floer homology for positive braid links. The rank is 1 for any prime positive braid knot. We give some examples of fibered positive links that are not positive braids.
The transient number of a knot K, denoted tr(K), is the minimal number of simple arcs that have to be attached to K, in order that K can be homotoped to a trivial knot in a regular neighborhood of the union of K and the arcs. We give a…
We present knot primality tests that are built from knot Floer homology. The most basic of these is a simply stated and elementary consequence of Heegaard Floer theory: if the two-variable knot Floer polynomial of a knot K is irreducible,…
In this paper, we enumerate the number of oriented rational knots and the number of oriented rational links with any given crossing number and minimum genus. This allows us to obtain a precise formula for the average minimal genus of…
We show that if a knot admits a prime, twist-reduced diagram with at least 4 twist regions and at least 6 crossings per twist region, then every non-trivial Dehn filling of that knot is hyperbolike. A similar statement holds for links. We…
A triple crossing is a crossing in a projection of a knot or link that has three strands of the knot passing straight through it. A triple crossing projection is a projection such that all of the crossings are triple crossings. We prove…
We find all polynomials f,g,h over a field K such that g and h are linear and f(g(x))=h(f(x)). We also solve the same problem for rational functions f,g,h, in case the field K is algebraically closed.
We provide a new proof of the following results of H. Schubert: If K is a satellite knot with companion J and pattern L that lies in a solid torus T in which it has index k, then the bridge numbers satisfy the following: 1) The bridge…
We give an explicit formula for the HOMFLY polynomial of a rational link (in particular, a knot) in terms of a special continued fraction for the rational number that defines the given link.
A knot k is called ``strongly (n-1)-trivial.'' if there exists a projection of k, such that one can choose n crossings of the projection with the property that making the crossing changes corresponding to any of the $2^{n}-1$ nontrivial…
Let G be a connected linear algebraic group over an algebraically closed field k, and let H be a connected closed subgroup of G. We prove that the homogeneous variety G/H is a rational variety over k whenever H is solvable, or when dim(G/H)…
This paper gives new and elementary combinatorial topological proofs of the classification of unoriented and oriented rational knots and links. These proofs are based on the known classification of alternating knots through flyping, and the…
For a knot K, let b_n(K) be the minimum length of an n-stranded braid representative of K. Examples of knots exist for which b_n(K) is a non-increasing function. We investigate the behavior of b_n(K). We develop bounds on the function in…
We define a knot to be half ribbon if it is the cross-section of a ribbon 2-knot, and observe that ribbon implies half ribbon implies slice. We introduce the half ribbon genus of a knot K, the minimum genus of a ribbon knotted surface of…
A knot K is called n-adjacent to the unknot, if K admits a projection containing n generalized crossings such that changing any m (no larger than n) of them yields a projection of the unknot. We show that a non-trivial satellite knot K is…
A knotted ribbon is one of physical aspect of a knot. A folded ribbon knot is a depiction of a knot obtained by folding a long and thin rectangular strip to become flat. The ribbonlength of a knot type can be defined as the minimum length…
A rational knot or link can be put into a standard alternating format which has horizontal and vertical twist sites (double helices). The number and type of these twist sites are determined by terms of next-to-highest $z$-degree in…