On Murasugi's and Traczyk's criteria for periodic links (Q1101740)

We use the skein and Kauffman polynomial invariants of links in S 3 to find criteria for n-periodic links. A link L in S 3 is called n-periodic if there is a \({\mathbb{Z}}_ n\) action on S 3 with a circle as a fixed point set, which maps L onto itself, and such that L is disjoint from the fixed point set. Furthermore if L is oriented link, we assume that each generator of \({\mathbb{Z}}_ n\) preserves the orientation of L or changes it to the opposite one. The skein polynomial (also called FLYPMOTH, generalized Jones, HOMFLY, Jones-Conway, twisted Alexander and two- variable Jones) of oriented links in S 3 can be defined uniquely by the conditions \(P_{T_ 1}(a,z)=1\) and \(aP_{L_ +}(a,z)+a^{- 1}P_{L_ -}(a,z)=zP_{L_ 0}(a,z)\) where \(T_ 1\) is the trivial knot and \(L_ +\), \(L_ -\) and \(L_ 0\) are diagrams of oriented links which are identical except near one crossing [compare \textit{W. B. R. Lickorish} and \textit{K. C. Millett}, Topology 26, 107-141 (1987; Zbl 0608.57009)]. For any L, \(P_ L(a,z)\) is in the subring \({\mathcal R}\) of the ring \({\mathbb{Z}}[a^{\bar +1},z^{\bar +1}]\) generated by \(a^{\bar +1}\), \((a+a^{-1})/z\) and z. In the paper we prove in particular: Theorem 1.2. Let L be an r-periodic oriented link and r a prime number, then the skein polynomial \(P_ L(a,z)\) satisfies: \(P_ L(a,z)\equiv P_ L(a^{-1},z)\) mod(r,z r) where (r,z r) is the ideal in \({\mathcal R}\) generated by r and z r. The method of the paper can be also applied to \({\mathbb{Z}}_ n\) invariant links when the fixed point set of the action is a part of the link (then one has to use the Hoste-Kidwell invariant [\textit{J. Hoste} and \textit{M. Kidwell}, Dichromatic link invariants, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. (to appear)] and for free \({\mathbb{Z}}_ n\) actions on S 3. Our criteria do not work for 3-periodic knots. In this case however a new criterion has been found by \textit{P. Traczyk} [A criterion for knots of period 3 (preprint, March 1988)].