Related papers: Twisted Alexander polynomials detect the unknot

In recent years, twisted Alexander polynomial has been playing an important role in low-dimensional topology. For Montesinos links, we develop an efficient method to compute the twisted Alexander polynomial associated to any linear…

We discuss the consequences of the possibility that Vassiliev invariants do not detect knot invertibility as well as the fact that quantum Lie group invariants are known not to do so. On the other hand, finite group invariants, such as the…

If the twist numbers of a collection of oriented alternating link diagrams are bounded, then the Alexander polynomials of the corresponding links have bounded euclidean Mahler measure (see Definition 1.2). The converse assertion does not…

We show that if the connected sum of two knots with coprime Alexander polynomials has vanishing von Neumann rho-invariants associated with certain metabelian representations then so do both knots. As an application, we give a new example of…

We address the question: Does there exist a non-trivial knot with a trivial Jones polynomial? To find such a knot, it is almost certainly sufficient to find a non-trivial braid on four strands in the kernel of the Burau representation. I…

Let {T_n} be the bipolar filtration of the smooth concordance group of topologically slice knots, which was introduced by Cochran, Harvey, and Horn. It is known that for each n not equal to 1 the quotient group T_n/T_{n+1} has infinite rank…

We generalize a theorem of Burde and de Rham characterizing the zeros of the Alexander polynomial. Given a representation of a knot group $\pi$, we define an extension of $\pi$, the Crowell group. For any GL(n,C) representation of $\pi$,…

We introduce the notion of non commutative truncated polynomial extension of an algebra A. We study two families of these extensions. For the first one we obtain a complete classification and for the second one, which we call upper…

We prove that for any zero {\alpha} of the Alexander polynomial of a two-bridge knot, -3 < Re({\alpha}) < 6. Furthermore, for a large class of two-bridge knots we prove -1<Re({\alpha}).

We give infinitely many $2$-component links with unknotted components which are topologically concordant to the Hopf link, but not smoothly concordant to any $2$-component link with trivial Alexander polynomial. Our examples are pairwise…

The set consisting of all rotations of the Euclidean plane is equipped with a quandle structure. We show that a knot is colorable by this quandle if and only if its Alexander polynomial has a root on the unit circle in $\mathbb{C}$. Further…

In a previous paper, we introduced special types of fusions, so called simple-ribbon fusions on links. A knot obtained from the trivial knot by a finite sequence of simple-ribbon fusions is called a simple-ribbon knot. Every ribbon knot…

In 1928, Alexander defined a sequence of knot polynomials, D_i(K). The first, D_1(K), is the classical Alexander polynomial. These are easily defined in terms of the homology of the infinite cyclic cover of the knot. In theory they can be…

We call a knot $K$ a complete Alexander neighbor if every possible Alexander polynomial is realized by a knot one crossing change away from $K$. It is unknown whether there exists a complete Alexander neighbor with nontrivial Alexander…

We study torsion properties of the twisted Alexander modules of the affine complement $M$ of a complex essential hyperplane arrangement, as well as those of punctured stratified tubular neighborhoods of complex essential hyperplane…

A polynomial is presented that models a topological knot in a unique manner. It distinguishes all types of knots including the orientation and has a group theory interpretation. The topologies may be labeled via a number, which upon a base…

Let $\Gamma$ be the fundamental group of the exterior of a knot in the three-sphere. We study deformations of representations of $\Gamma$ into $\mathrm{SL}_n(\mathbf{C})$ which are the sum of two irreducible representations. For such…

The twisted Alexander polynomials of a space, associated to a linear representation $\sigma$ of the fundamental group, are non-abelian refinements of the classical Alexander polynomial from knot theory. In this paper, we show that they…

The explicit formula, which expresses the Alexander polynomials \Delta_{n,3}(t) of torus knots T(n,3) as a sum of the Alexander polynomials \Delta_{k,2}(t) of torus knots T(k,2), is found. Using this result and those from our previous…

We extend knot contact homology to a theory over the ring $\mathbb{Z}[\lambda^{\pm 1},\mu^{\pm 1}]$, with the invariant given topologically and combinatorially. The improved invariant, which is defined for framed knots in $S^3$ and can be…