Constructions of quasipositive knots and links. III: A characterization of quasipositive Seifert surfaces (Q1196960)

[For Parts I and II see Monogr. Enseign. Math. 31, 233-245 (1983; Zbl 0557.57002) and Contemp. Math. 35, 485-491 (1984; Zbl 0604.57003), respectively.] Let \(O(p,q)\) be the \((p,q)\) torus link. A result of \textit{H. C. Lyon} [Mich. Math. J. 27, 39-46 (1980; Zbl 0411.57003)] states that any Seifert surface (smooth compact oriented surface in 3-space without closed components) is ambient isotopic to a full subsurface of the fiber surface of \(O(n,n)\#O(n,-n)\) for some \(n\). (For surfaces \(S\subset T\) full means that each simple closed curve in \(S\), which bounds a disk in \(T\), bounds a disk in \(S\).) The main result of the paper is the following: A Seifert surface \(S\) is quasi-positive if and only if, for some \(n\), \(S\) is ambient isotopic to a full subsurface of the fiber surface of \(O(n,n)\). Quasi-positivity is defined as follows: Let \(\sigma_ 1,\dots,\sigma_{n-1}\) be the standard generators of the braid group \(B_ n\). Each \(b\in B_ n\) can be written as a word \(\underline b\) in generators \(\sigma_{ij}=\sigma_ i\dots \sigma_{j-2}\sigma_{j-1} \sigma_{j-2}^{-1}\dots\sigma_ i^{-1}\) where \(1\leq i<j\leq n\). \(\underline b\) is called quasi-positive if it involves only generators (no \(\sigma_{ij}^{-1}\)). For each \(\underline b\) the author constructs a natural Seifert surface \(S(\underline b)\) of the closure of \(b\). In Comment. Math. Helv. 58, 1-37 (1983; Zbl 0522.57017), the author proved that each Seifert surface is ambient isotopic to \(S(\underline b)\) for some \(\underline b\). Then \(S\) is quasi-positive if it is ambient isotopic to \(S(\underline b)\) for some quasi-positive \(\underline b\).