Burau representation and random walks on string links (Q1392491)

A string link is an oriented tangle diagram in the strip \({\mathbb R} \times [0, 1]\) with the bottom ends \(\{1 \times 0, \dots , n \times 0 \}\) and top ends \(\{1 \times 1, \dots , n \times 1 \}\). There are exactly \(n\) strands, each of them giving an oriented path from a bottom source \(i \times 0\) to a top sink \(i \times 1\). The authors generalize the Burau representation to a representation of the semigroup of string links. This generalization is based on a nice probabilistic interpretation of the Burau representation of the braid group offered by \textit{V. F. R. Jones} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 126, 335-388 (1987; Zbl 0631.57005)]. It is shown that the presentation is determined by a linear system, and is determined by finite type string link invariants. The Markov processes on positive string links are discussed.