Related papers: Finite Type Invariants of Classical and Virtual Kn…

We construct knot invariants categorifying the quantum knot variants for all representations of quantum groups. We show that these invariants coincide with previous invariants defined by Khovanov for sl(2) and sl(3) and by…

The virtual unknotting number of a virtual knot is the minimal number of crossing changes that makes the virtual knot to be the unknot, which is defined only for virtual knots virtually homotopic to the unknot. We focus on the virtual knot…

We develop a purely combinatorial framework for the systematic enumeration of knot and link diagrams supported on the thickened torus $T^2\times I$. Using the theory of maps on surfaces, cellular $4$--regular torus projections are encoded…

We show that every periodic virtual knot can be realized as the closure of a periodic virtual braid and use this to study the Alexander invariants of periodic virtual knots. If $K$ is a $q$-periodic and almost classical knot, we show that…

We define three different types of spanning surfaces for knots in thickened surfaces. We use these to introduce new Seifert matrices, Alexander-type polynomials, genera, and a signature invariant. One of these Alexander polynomials extends…

We prove that if a finite order knot invariant does not distinguish mutant knots, then the corresponding weight system depends on the intersection graph of a chord diagram rather than on the diagram itself. The converse statement is easy…

This is the second in a series of papers dedicated to studying w-knots, and more generally, w-knotted objects (w-braids, w-tangles, etc.). These are classes of knotted objects that are wider but weaker than their "usual" counterparts. To…

Link homotopy has been an active area of research for knot theorists since its introduction by Milnor in the 1950s. We introduce a new equivalence relation on spatial graphs called component homotopy, which reduces to link homotopy in the…

Milnor's $\bar{\mu}$-invariants of links in the $3$-sphere $S^3$ vanish on any link concordant to a boundary link. In particular, they are trivial on any knot in $S^3$. Here we consider knots in thickened surfaces $\Sigma \times [0,1]$,…

An elementary introduction to knot theory and its link to quantum field theory is presented with an intention to provide details of some basic calculations in the subject, which are not easily found in texts. Study of Chern-Simons theory…

We define some signature invariants for a class of knotted trivalent graphs using branched covers. We relate them to classical signatures of knots and links. Finally, we explain how to compute these invariants through the example of…

Hyperfinite knots, or limits of equivalence classes of knots induced by a knot invariant taking values in a metric space, were introduced in a previous article by the author. In this article, we present new examples of hyperfinite knots…

Mosaic diagrams for knots were first introduced in 2008 by Lomanoco and Kauffman for the purpose of building a quantum knot system. Since then, many others have explored the structure of these knot mosaic diagrams, as they are interesting…

Knot theory is the study of isotopy classes of embeddings of the circle $S^1$ into a 3-manifold, specifically $R^3$. The F\'ary-Milnor Theorem says that any curve in $R^3$ of total curvature less than $4\pi$ is unknotted. More generally, a…

In this article it is proven that if a knot, K, bounds an imbedded grope of class n, then the knot is n/2-trivial in the sense of Gusarov and Stanford. That is, all type n/2 invariants vanish on K. We also give a simple way to construct all…

We define a notion of finite type invariants for links with a fixed linking matrix. We show that Milnor's triple link homotopy invariant is a finite type invariant, of type 1, in this sense. We also generalize the approach to Milnor's…

Classical knot theory can be generalized to virtual knot theory and spatial graph theory. In 2007, Fleming and Mellor combined virtual knot theory and spatial graph theory to form, combinatorially, virtual spatial graph theory. In this…

We consider several classes of knotted objects, namely usual, virtual and welded pure braids and string links, and two equivalence relations on those objects, induced by either self-crossing changes or self-virtualizations. We provide a…

The present paper is an introduction to a combinatorial theory arising as a natural generalisation of classical and virtual knot theory. There is a way to encode links by a class of `realisable' graphs. When passing to generic graphs with…

Kronheimer and Mrowka asked whether the difference between the four-dimensional clasp number and the slice genus can be arbitrarily large. This question is answered affirmatively by studying a knot invariant derived from equivariant…