Related papers: An extended symmetric union and its Alexander poly…

We extend the classical definition of {\it width} to higher dimensional, smooth codimension 2 knots and show in each dimension there are knots of arbitrarily large width.

In the 1920's Artin defined the braid group in an attempt to understand knots in a more algebraic setting. A braid is a certain arrangement of strings in three-dimensional space. It is a celebrated theorem of Alexander that every knot is…

Generalizing unknotting number, $n$-adjacent knots have $n$ crossings such that changing any non-empty subset of them results in the unknot. In this paper, we determine the 2-adjacent knots through 12 crossings. Using Heegaard Floer…

We introduce two new bases of the ring of polynomials and study their relations to known bases. The first basis is the quasiLascoux basis, which is simultaneously both a $K$-theoretic deformation of the quasikey basis and also a lift of the…

Let $\alpha$ be a map from the set of all knot types ${\mathcal K}$ to a set $X$. Let $\beta$ be a map from ${\mathcal K}$ to a set $Y$. We define the relation between $\alpha$ and $\beta$ to be the image of a map $(\alpha,\beta)$ from…

This thesis develops some general calculational techniques for finding the orders of knots in the topological concordance group C. The techniques currently available in the literature are either too theoretical, applying to only a small…

We give explicit formulas for the adjoint twisted Alexander polynomial and the nonabelian Reidemeister torsion of genus one two-bridge knots.

We present a universal knot polynomials for 2- and 3-strand torus knots in adjoint representation, by universalization of appropriate Rosso-Jones formula. According to universality, these polynomials coincide with adjoined colored HOMFLY…

Let $H(p)$ be the set of 2-bridge knots $K$ whose group $G$ is mapped onto a non-trivial free product, $Z/2 * Z/p$, $p$ being odd. Then there is an algebraic integer $s_0$ such that for any $K$ in $H(p)$, $G$ has a parabolic representation…

Recently, Bigelow defined a diagrammatic method for calculating the Alexander polynomial of a knot or link by resolving crossings in a planar algebra. I will present my multivariate version of Bigelow's calculation. The advantage to my…

Residual torsion-free nilpotence has proven to be an important property for knot groups with applications to bi-orderability and ribbon concordance. Mayland proposed a strategy to show that a two-bridge knot group has a commutator subgroup…

If phi: G-->G' is a surjective homomorphism, we prove that the twisted Alexander polynomial of G is divisible by the twisted Alexander polynomial of G'. As an application, we show non-existence of surjective homomorphism between certain…

The knot group is the fundamental group of a knot or link complement. A necessary and sufficient conditions for a group to be realized as the knot group of some link was provided. This result was shown using the closed braid method.…

We consider complements of standard Seifert surfaces of special alternating links. On these handlebodies, we use Honda's method to enumerate those tight contact structures whose dividing sets are isotopic to the link, and find their number…

Given a virtual knot $K$, we construct a group $VG_K$ called the virtual knot group, and we use the elementary ideals of $VG_K$ to define invariants of $K$ called the virtual Alexander invariants. For instance, associated to the $k=0$ ideal…

A string link S can be closed in a canonical way to produce an ordinary closed link L. We also consider a twisted closing which produces a knot K. We give a formula for the Conway polynomial of L as a product of the Conway polynomial of K…

We clarify steps for determining the ${\rm SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$-character variety of any arborescent knot. Interestingly, we show that the `excellent parts' of arborescent knots $K_1,K_2$ are isomorphic if $K_1$ can be related to $K_2$…

Given a symmetric polynomial $P$ in $2n$ variables, there exists a unique symmetric polynomial $Q$ in $n$ variables such that \[ P(x_1,\ldots,x_n,x_1^{-1},\ldots,x_n^{-1}) =Q(x_1+x_1^{-1},\ldots,x_n+x_n^{-1}). \] We denote this polynomial…

Alexander polynomial arises in the leading term of a semi-classical Melvin-Morton-Rozansky expansion of colored knot polynomials. In this work, following the opposite direction, we propose how to reconstruct colored HOMFLY-PT polynomials,…

Let $K$ be a local field whose residue field has characteristic $p$ and let $L/K$ be a finite separable totally ramified extension of degree $n=up^{\nu}$. Let $\sigma_1,\dots,\sigma_n$ denote the $K$-embeddings of $L$ into a separable…