Related papers: On two-bridge ribbon knots

We use grid diagrams to give a combinatorial algorithm for computing the knot Floer homology of the pullback of a knot K in its m-fold cyclic branched cover Sigma^m(K), and we give computations when m=2 for over fifty three-bridge knots…

This note shows that if two elements of equal trace (e.g., conjugate elements) generate an arithmetic two-bridge knot or link group, then the elements are parabolic. This includes the figure-eight knot and Whitehead link groups. Similarly,…

Algorithm of construction of all knots, links with given number of crosses on diagram of knot, link is offered. This algorithm is based on simple proposition, that there is a representation of knot (link) as closure of braid with n threads…

Let $u(K)$ and $g(K)$ denote the unknotting number and the genus of a knot $K$, respectively. For a 3-braid knot $K$, we show that $u(K)\le g(K)$ holds, and that if $u(K)=g(K)$ then $K$ is either a 2-braid knot, a connected sum of two…

We give an alternative proof of a result of Kobayashi and Saeki that every genus one $1$-bridge position of a non-trivial $2$-bridge knot is a stabilization.

Motivated by work of Kinoshita and Teraska, Lamm introduced the notion of a symmetric union, which can be constructed from a partial knot $J$ by introducing additional crossings to a diagram of $J \# -\!J$ along its axis of symmetry. If…

This paper gives a complete classification of all alternating knots with tunnel number one, and all their unknotting tunnels. We prove that the only such knots are two-bridge knots and certain Montesinos knots.

In a 3-manifold M, let K be a knot and R be an annulus which meets K transversely. We define the notion of the pair (R,K) being caught by a surface Q in the exterior of the link given by K and the boundary curves of R. For a caught pair…

We study the band-unknotting number $u_{nb}(K)$ of a knot $K$, and how it behaves with respect to connect sums. We show that this sub-additive function is not additive under connected sums, by finding infinitely many examples of knots $K_1,…

The average genus of a 2-bridge knot with crossing number $c$ approaches $\frac{c}{4} + \frac{1}{12}$ as $c$ approaches infinity, as proven by Suzuki and Tran and independently Cohen and Lowrance. In this paper, for the genera of $2$-bridge…

Let K be a knot in a closed orientable irreducible 3-manifold M and let P be a Heegaard splitting of the knot complement of genus at least two. Suppose Q is a bridge surface for K. Then either \begin{itemize} \item $d(P)\leq 2-\chi(Q-K)$,…

Cohen, Lowrance, Madras, and Raanes computed the average (absolute value of) signature over all 2-bridge knots with crossing number $c$ by introducing the number $s(c,\sigma)$ of 2-bridge knots of crossing number $c$ and signature $\sigma$.…

Let $K, K'$ be ribbon knottings of $n$-spheres with $1$-handles in $S^{n+2}$, $n\geq 2$. We show that if the knot quandles of these knots are isomorphic, then the ribbon knottings are stably equivalent, in the sense of Nakanishi and…

A knot in the 3-sphere in genus-1 1-bridge position (called a (1,1)-position) can be described by an element of the braid group of two points in the torus. Our main results tell how to translate between a braid group element and the…

We show that all two-bridge knot and link complements are virtually fibered. We also show that spherical Montesinos knot and link complements are virtually fibered. This is accomplished by showing that such knot complements are finitely…

We develop an algebraic representation for (1,1)-knots using the mapping class group of the twice punctured torus MCG(T,2). We prove that every (1,1)-knot in a lens space L(p,q) can be represented by the composition of an element of a…

Suppose the knot group G(K) of a knot K has a non-abelian representation \rho on A_4 \subset GL(4,Z). We conjecture that the twisted Alexander polynomial of K associated to \rho is of the form: \Delta_K(t)/(1-t) \phi(t^3), where \Delta_K…

We present a practical algorithm to determine the minimal genus of non-orientable spanning surfaces for 2-bridge knots, called the crosscap numbers. We will exhibit a table of crosscap numbers of 2-bridge knots up to 12crossings (all 362 of…

We determine the Dehn surgeries on 2-bridge links, which yield reducible 3-manifolds. Further, we show the conditions that we obtain a torus or cable knot from one component of a 2-bridge link by a surgery on another component.

Let K' be a hyperbolic knot in S^3 and suppose that some Dehn surgery on K' with distance at least 3 from the meridian yields a 3-manifold M of Heegaard genus 2. We show that if M does not contain an embedded Dyck's surface (the closed…