English

Links with splitting number one

Geometric Topology 2021-03-02 v2

Abstract

We provide an algorithm to determine whether a link L admits a crossing change that turns it into a split link, under some fairly mild hypotheses on L. The algorithm also provides a complete list of all such crossing changes. It can therefore also determine whether the unlinking number of L is 1.

Cite

@article{arxiv.1808.05495,
  title  = {Links with splitting number one},
  author = {Marc Lackenby},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1808.05495},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

38 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in Geometriae Dedicata

R2 v1 2026-06-23T03:35:50.170Z