Related papers: Unlinking Number and Unlinking Gap

Families of alternating knots (links) and tangles are studied using as building block the conway defined as the twisting of two strands. The regular representation of knots assumes the projection has the minimal number of overpassings, and…

Given a knot K we introduce a new invariant coming from the Blanchfield pairing and we show that it gives a lower bound on the unknotting number of K. This lower bound subsumes the lower bounds given by the Levine-Tristram signatures, by…

We investigate connections between biquandle colorings, quiver enhancements, and several notions of the bridge numbers $b_i(K)$ for virtual links, where $i=1,2$. We show that for any positive integers $m \leq n$, there exists a virtual link…

Traditionally, knot theorists have considered projections of knots where there are two strands meeting at every crossing. A triple crossing is a crossing where three strands meet at a single point, such that each strand bisects the…

The crossing number of a graph is the minimum number of edge crossings that a graph can have when drawn in the plane. Determining this number, known as the Crossing Number problem, is a celebrated problem in combinatorial optimization. It…

Introducing a way to modify knots using $n$-trivial rational tangles, we show that knots with given values of Vassiliev invariants of bounded degree can have arbitrary unknotting number (extending a recent result of Ohyama, Taniyama and…

In this paper, we give the trivializing number of all minimal diagrams of positive 2-bridge knots, and study the relation between the trivializing number and the unknotting number for a part of these knots.

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…

Minimum braids are a complete invariant of knots and links. This paper defines minimum braids, describes how they can be generated, presents tables for knots up to ten crossings and oriented links up to nine crossings, and uses minimum…

In an earlier note [arXiv:2301.00295] it was shown that there is an upper bound to the number of disjoint Hopf links (and certain related links) that can be embedded in the unit cube where there is a fixed separation required between the…

A weaving knot is an alternating knot whose minimal diagram is a closed braid of a lattice-like pattern. In this paper, the warping degree of a braid diagram is defined, and upper bounds of the unknotting number and the region unknotting…

We use Heegaard Floer homology to give obstructions to unknotting a knot with a single crossing change. These restrictions are particularly useful in the case where the knot in question is alternating. As an example, we use them to classify…

We present computational results about quasi-alternating knots and links and odd homology obtained by looking at link families in the Conway notation. More precisely, we list quasi-alternating links up to 12 crossings and the first examples…

We introduce a notion of intrinsic linking and knotting for virtual spatial graphs. Our theory gives two filtrations of the set of all graphs, allowing us to measure, in a sense, how intrinsically linked or knotted a graph is; we show that…

We define the virtual bridge number $vb(K)$ and the virtual unknotting number $vu(K)$ invariants for virtual knots. For ordinary knots $K$ they are closely related to the bridge number $b(K)$ and the unknotting number $u(K)$ and we have…

We classify graphs that are 0, 1, or 2 edges short of being complete partite graphs with respect to intrinsic linking and intrinsic knotting. In addition, we classify intrinsic knotting of graphs on 8 vertices. For graphs in these families,…

We use matchings on Lyndon words to classify flat knots up to 8 crossings. Using flat knots invariants such as the based matrix, the $\phi$-invariant, the flat arrow polynomial, and the flat Jones-Krushkal polynomial, we distinguish all…

We present two practical and widely applicable methods, including some criteria and a general procedure, for detecting Brunnian property of a link, if each component is known to be unknot. The methods are based on observation and handwork.…

It is known that there are 21 ribbon knots with 10 crossings or fewer. We show that for every ribbon knot, there exists a tangle that satisfies two properties associated with the knot. First, under a specific closure, the closed tangle is…

A matching is said to be disconnected if the saturated vertices induce a disconnected subgraph and induced if the saturated vertices induce a 1-regular graph. The disconnected and induced matching numbers are defined as the maximum…