An intrinsic nontriviality of graphs (Q1007214)

A graph \(G\) is intrinsically nontrivial if for every spatial embedding \(f\) of \(G\) there exists a planar subgraph \(F\) of \(G\) such that \(f|_F\) is not trivial (i.e. not ambient isotopic to an embedding into a 2-sphere in \(S^3\)). By applying some known results of \textit{M. Scharlemann} and \textit{A. Thompson} [J. Differ. Geom. 34, No. 2, 539--560 (1991; Zbl 0751.05033)], and \textit{N. Robertson}, \textit{P. Seymour} and \textit{R. Thomas} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. B 64, No. 2, 185--227 (1995; Zbl 0832.05032)], the author is easily able to show that intrinsically nontrivial graphs are intrinsically linked (contain a non-split 2-component link in every spatial embedding). The author further shows that there exists a graph such that every spatial embedding of the graph contains either a nonsplittable 3-component link or an irreducible spatial handcuff graph whose constituent 2-component link is split, but has an embedding without a nonsplittable 3-component link and an embedding with no irreducible spatial handcuff graph whose constituent 2-component link is split. To prove this result, the author uses a clever invariant of spatial handcuff graphs that is based on the second Conway polynomial of knots related to the spatial handcuff graph. The work is related in spirit to work done by the reviewer [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 15, No. 9, 1113--1118 (2006; Zbl 1119.57001)] demonstrating a graph that has either a non-split 3-component link or a knotted cycle in every spatial embedding.