A new algorithm for recognizing the unknot (Q1279535)

A new algorithm for unknottedness is given. This is based on the braid foliation technology of \textit{D. Bennequin} [Astérisque 107/108, 87-161 (1983; Zbl 0573.58022)] and of \textit{J. S. Birman} and \textit{W. W. Menasco} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 329, No. 2, 585-606 (1992; Zbl 0758.57005)]. The given knot is written as the closure of a braid. The algorithm will enumerate a finite list of closed braids containing examples from each conjugacy class representing the unknot, with bounded complexity. The given knot is unknotted if and only if it is in the conjugacy class of a braid in the list. Haken's work already proved the existence of an algorithm for recognizing the unknot. By sharpening Haken's method, \textit{J. Hass, J. Lagarias} and \textit{N. Pippenger} have shown that the problem is in the class NP [The computational complexity of knot and links problems, preprint 1997].