Casson's invariant and twisted double knots (Q1329758)

For \(r\geq 1\) and a knot \(L\) in \(S^3\), let \(M_L^r\) be the \(r\)- fold cyclic branched cover of \(S^3\) branched over \(L\). Let \(U\) be the unknot. For each homology 3-sphere \(M\) let \(\lambda(M)\) denote the Casson invariant. Then the following result is proved: Let \(K\) be a knot of unknotting number 1 and let \(DK\) be the \(+1\) doubled knot. Let \(r=-1 \bmod 6\). Then \[ \lambda (M^r_{DK})= \lambda( M^r_{DU}) \pm 2r \varphi(K), \] where \(\varphi (K)\) is the coefficient of \(z^2\) in the Conway polynomial of \(K\). (\(DU\) is the trefoil.) This result should be compared with \textit{R. Fintushel} and \textit{R. J. Stern}'s result that the Casson invariant of the \(r\)-fold cyclic branched cover of a \((p, q)\) torus knot is the \(r\)-signature [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., III. Ser. 61, No. 1, 109-137 (1990; Zbl 0705.57009)]. Also there are recent results by D. Mullins expressing the Casson-Walker invariant of a 2-fold branched cover of a knot in \(S^3\) by the signature and the Jones polynomial.