Homotopy ribbon concordance and Alexander polynomials (Q2216793)

The authors provide an easy obstruction for homotopy ribbon concordance of links in terms of the Alexander polynomial. In particular, they prove that if a link \(J\) in the 3-sphere is homotopy ribbon concordant to a link \(L\), then the Alexander polynomial of \(L\) divides the Alexander polynomial of \(J\). In the case of knots and in the smooth category, this result is consequence of the main result of [\textit{P. Gilmer}, Topology Appl. 18, 313--324 (1984; Zbl 0568.57005)] but the proof of the latter result can not be extended to the topological category.