Slope length and generalized augmented links (Q1006906)

Augmented links were introduced by \textit{C. C. Adams} [in: Low dimensional topology and Kleinian groups, Symp. Warwick and Durham 1984, Lond. Math. Soc. Lect. Note Ser. 112, 115--130 (1986; Zbl 0632.57008)]. An augmented link diagram is obtained from an original link diagram by adjoining simple closed curves encircling the maximal regions of the original diagram in which two strands twist about each other. In the paper under review the author considers generalized augmented links, obtained by generalizing Adams' definition to allow twist regions involving several strands. She proves that hyperbolic generalized augmented links have meridian length less than 4, and exhibits infinitely many families of such links whose meridian lengths approach 4. These examples include a family given by \textit{I. Agol} [Geom. Topol. 4, 431--449 (2000; Zbl 0959.57009)]. She also exhibits a family of generalized augmented links with longitudes of length at most 4 and arbitrarily large numbers of adjoined circles; these examples indicate that a lower bound on longitude length due to \textit{D. Futer} and the author [Comment. Math. Helv. 82, No.~3, 629--664 (2007; Zbl 1134.57003)] does not extend to generalized augmented links.