Related papers: Computing the writhe of a knot
We give a new proof of an old theorem by Banchoff and White 1975 that claims that the writhe of a knot is conformally invariant.
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 investigate the computational complexity of some problems in three-dimensional topology and geometry. We show that the problem of determining a bound on the genus of a knot in a 3-manifold, is NP-complete. Using similar ideas, we show…
We define a family of virtual knots generalizing the classical twist knots. We develop a recursive formula for the Alexander polynomial $\Delta_0$ (as defined by Silver and Williams) of these virtual twist knots. These results are applied…
We construct a topological invariant of algebraic plane curves, which is in some sense an adaptation of the linking number of knot theory. This invariant is shown to be a generalization of the I-invariant of line arrangements developed by…
In this paper we study a model of random knots obtained by fixing a space curve in $n$-dimensional Euclidean space with $n>3$, and orthogonally projecting the space curve on to random $3$ dimensional subspaces. By varying the space curve we…
A non-singular connected algebraic curve $A$ in a simply connected algebraic surface $X$ can be knotted so that its homology class and the fundamental group of its complement in $X$ is preserved, provided $A$ is sufficiently complex (not…
A minimal knot is the intersection of a topologically embedded branched minimal disk in $\mathbb{R}^4$ $\mathbb{C}^2 $ with a small sphere centered at the branch point. When the lowest order terms in each coordinate component of the…
The crosscap number of a knot is an invariant describing the non-orientable surface of smallest genus that the knot bounds. Unlike knot genus (its orientable counterpart), crosscap numbers are difficult to compute and no general algorithm…
We construct two knot invariants. The first knot invariant is a sum constructed using linking numbers. The second is an invariant of flat knots and is a formal sum of flat knots obtained by smoothing pairs of crossings. This invariant can…
We study the Betti tables of reducible algebraic curves with a focus on connected line arrangements and provide a general formula for computing the quadratic strand of the Betti table for line arrangements that satisfy certain hypotheses.…
The works of Donaldson and Mark make the structure of the Seiberg-Witten invariant of 3-manifolds clear. It corresponds to certain torsion type invariants counting flow lines and closed orbits of a gradient flow of a circle-valued Morse map…
This is a study of the construction of particular regular sub-n-gons T in regular n-gons P using a special system of chords of P. In particular, some of these sub-n-gons have areas which are integer divisors of the area of the given n-gon…
We show that the $X$-torsion order of a knot, which is defined in terms of a generalised Lee complex, can be calculated using the reduced Bar-Natan--Lee--Turner spectral sequence. We use this for extensive calculations, including an example…
We introduce a "deformation" of plumbing. We also define a structure of data used in a calculation by computer aid of the crosscap numbers of alternating knots.
We describe an efficient algorithm to compute finite type invariants of type $k$ by first creating, for a given knot $K$ with $n$ crossings, a look-up table for all subdiagrams of $K$ of size $\lceil \frac{k}{2}\rceil$ indexed by dyadic…
We modify an approach of Johnson to define the distance of a bridge splitting of a knot in a 3-manifold using the dual curve complex and pants complex of the bridge surface. This distance can be used to determine a complexity, which becomes…
A knot is a circle piecewise-linearly embedded into the 3-sphere. The topology of a knot is intimately related to that of its exterior, which is the complement of an open regular neighborhood of the knot. Knots are typically encoded by…
Schreyer has proved that the graded Betti numbers of a canonical tetragonal curve are determined by two integers $b_1$ and $b_2$, associated to the curve through a certain geometric construction. In this article we prove that in the case of…
We construct knot invariants on the basis of ascribing Euclidean geometric values to a triangulation of sphere S^3 where the knot lies. The main new feature of this construction compared to the author's earlier papers on manifold invariants…