Lusternik-Schnirelmann category and knot complement. II (Q1344451)

The category cat \(X\) of a space \(X\) is the least integer \(n\) such that \(X\) can be covered by \(n + 1\) open subsets each of which is contractible to a point in \(X\). (This differs from Fox's definition by one.) For a locally flat knot \(S^{n - 2} \subset S^n\), we have \(1 \leq \text{cat} (S^n - S^{n - 2}) \leq n - 1\). In the previous paper [J. Fac. Sci., Univ. Tokyo, Sect. I A 37, No. 1, 103-107 (1990; Zbl 0703.57011)], the author showed that the knot is topologically unknotted if and only if \(\text{cat} (S^n - S^{n - 2}) = 1\). In this paper, he proves that for any integer \(m\) with \(2 \leq m \leq n - 1\) there is a smooth knot \(S^{n - 2} \subset S^n\) whose complement is of category \(m\). This is obtained as a consequence of the following results, which uses the notion of \(\pi_1\)-category. (1) For any \(n \geq 3\) there is a smooth fibred knot \(S^{n - 2} \subset S^n\) whose complement is of category \(n - 1\). (2) The \(\pi_1\)-category of the complement of the spun knot is equal to that of the original locally flat knot.