Related papers: On the complexity of 2-bridge link complements
Symmetries of knots have been studied extensively, and strongly invertible knots are one of them. Lamm defined the equivariant crossing number $c_t(K)$, the minimum crossing number among all symmetric diagrams for a strongly invertible knot…
We present small triangulations of all connected sums of $\mathbb{CP}^2$ and $S^2 \times S^2$ with the standard piecewise linear structure. Our triangulations have $2\beta_2+2$ pentachora, where $\beta_2$ is the second Betti number of the…
For any pair of integers $m$ and $n$ such that $3<m<n$, we provide an infinite family of links, where each link in the family has a locally minimal $n$-bridge position and a globally minimal $m$-bridge position. We accomplish this by…
We introduce and study knots and links in 2-dimensional complexes. In particular, we define linking numbers for oriented two-component links in 2-complexes and a Kauffman-type bracket polynomial for links in 2-complexes. We also discuss…
We provide algorithms for the minimum 2-edge-connected spanning subgraph problem and the minimum 2-vertex-connected spanning subgraph problem with approximation ratio both $\frac{4}{3}$. Using a common theme, the algorithms and their…
A differential geometric characterization of the braid-index of a link is found. After multiplication by 2pi, it equals the infimum of the sum of total curvature and total absolute torsion over holonomic representatives of the link. Upper…
The triple linking number of an oriented surface link was defined as an analogical notion of the linking number of a classical link. We consider a certain $m$-component $T^2$-link ($m \geq 3$) determined from two commutative pure $m$-braids…
We provide algorithms for the minimum 2-edge-connected spanning subgraph problem and the minimum 2-vertex-connected spanning subgraph problem with approximation ratio $\frac{9}{7}$. This improves upon a recent algorithm with ratio slightly…
This paper investigates the use of the most fundamental elements; cables for tension and bars for compression, in the search for the most efficient bridges. Stable arrangements of these elements are called tensegrity structures. We show…
We introduce a natural-valued complexity c(X) for pairs X=(M,L), where M is a closed orientable 3-manifold and L is a link contained in M. The definition employs simple spines, but for well-behaved X's we show that c(X) equals the minimal…
In this article we study a partial ordering on knots in the 3-sphere where K_1 is greater than or equal to K_2 if there is an epimorphism from the knot group of K_1 onto the knot group of K_2 which preserves peripheral structure. If K_1 is…
We show that one of the Cappell-Shaneson knot complements admits an extraordinarily small triangulation, containing only two 4-dimensional simplices.
Testing a graph on 2-vertex- and 2-edge-connectivity are two fundamental algorithmic graph problems. For both problems, different linear-time algorithms with simple implementations are known. Here, an even simpler linear-time algorithm is…
In the present paper, we construct the generalized Kuperberg bracket for two-component links with one component fibred. We consider a new geometrical complexity for such links and establish minimality of diagrams in a strong sense.
Branch points of a real 2-surface S in a 4-manifold M generalize the branch points of complex curves in complex surfaces: for example, they can occur as singularities of minimal surfaces. We investigate such a branch point p when S is…
This paper concerns the H(2)-unknotting numbers of links related to 2-bridge links. It consists of three parts. In the first part, we consider a necessary and sufficient condition for a 2-bridge link to have H(2)-unknotting number one. The…
We give a closed formula for the volume of a two-bridge knot, more precisely for its Bloch invariant. We obtain this formula without triangulating the complement: instead, we derive it from the Hopf formula for the second homology of the…
To any prime alternating link, we associate a collection of hyperbolic right-angled ideal polyhedra by relating geometric, topological and combinatorial methods to decompose the link complement. The sum of the hyperbolic volumes of these…
In this paper we give a simple proof of the equivalence between the rational link associated to the continued fraction $\left[ a_{1},a_{2},\cdots a_{m}\right],$ $a_{i}\in\mathbb{N}$, and the two bridge link of type $p/q,$ where $p/q$ is the…
It is known that any two triangulations of a compact 3-manifold are related by finite sequences of certain local transformations. We prove here an upper bound for the length of a shortest transformation sequence relating any two…