Square numbers, spanning trees and invariants of achiral knots (Q2583314)

The main theorem of this paper is that an odd natural number is the determinant of an achiral knot if it is the sum of two squares. (The `only if' part was observed in [\textit{R. Hartley} and \textit{A. Kawauchi}, Math. Ann. 243, 63--70 (1979; Zbl 0394.57009)]). The author also finds a necessary and sufficient condition for an odd square number to be the determinant of a prime alternating achiral knot. As applications, achiral rational knots are enumerated by their determinant and the main theorem is interpreted in graph theoretic arguments.