Cabling sequences of tunnels of torus knots (Q1007197): Difference between revisions

A tunnel system of a knot \(K\) is a collection of disjoint properly embedded arcs \(t_1,t_2, \dots, t_n \in cl(S^3 - N (K))\) such that \(cl(S^3 - N (K \bigcup_{i=1}^n t_i))\) is a genus \(n + 1\) handlebody that is unknotted. Hence a tunnel system of a knot naturally gives a Heegaard splitting of the knot exterior. The minimum such number \(n\) is called the tunnel number of \(K\). If the tunnel number of \(K\) is 1, the tunnel is called an unknotting tunnel or tunnel of \(K\). Alternatively, if the tunnel number of \(K\) is 1, one may think of a tunnel as an arc \(\alpha\) meeting \(K\) only in its endpoints, such that a regular neighborhood of the ``\(\theta\)-curve'' \(K\cup\alpha\) is unknotted. In previous work the authors developed a theory of tunnels for tunnel number 1 knots in \(S^3\) [Geom. Topol. 13, No. 2, 769--815 (2009; Zbl 1191.57005)]. This work yields a parameterization in which each tunnel is described uniquely by a finite sequence of rational parameters (a finite sequence of ``cabling constructions'') and a finite sequence of 0s and 1s, that together encode a procedure for constructing the knot and tunnel. In the above cited paper the authors compute these invariants for 2-bridge knots. Here these invariants are computed for all tunnels of torus knots. Note that torus knot tunnels were already classified in work by \textit{M. Boileau, M. Rost} and \textit{H. Zieschang} [Math. Ann. 279, No. 3, 553--581 (1988; Zbl 0616.57008)] and \textit{Y. Moriah} [Invent. Math. 91, No. 3, 465--481 (1988; Zbl 0651.57012)].