Affine cubic surfaces and character varieties of knots (Q1702720)

Let \(K\subset S^3\) be a knot and let \(M_K\) denote the knot exterior. The inclusion \(\partial M_k \hookrightarrow M_k\) induces a regular map \(\alpha\colon X(M_K)\to X(\partial M_K)\) between the \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb C)\)-character varieties. This regular map turns the coordinate ring \(\mathcal {O}(X(M_K))\) into an \(\mathcal {O}(X(\partial M_K))\)-algebra. On the other hand the the Kauffman bracket skein module (KBSM) \(\mathrm{Sk}_q(M_K)\) is an \(\mathrm{Sk}_q(\partial M_K\times I)\)-algebra. Notice that the KBSM can be viewed as a \(q\)-deformation of the coordinate ring of the corresponding \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb C)\)-character variety. Let \(\mathrm{SH}_{q,\underline{t}}\), \(\underline{t} = (t_1, t_2, t_3, t_4)\) be the \textit{spherical double affine Hecke algebra}, having the property that \(\mathrm{SH}_{q,\underline{1}} \cong \mathrm{Sk}_q(\partial M_K\times I)\). The authors conjectured in [Compos. Math. 152, No. 7, 1333--1384 (2016; Zbl 1356.57006)] that the natural action of \(\mathrm{SH}_{q,\underline{1}}\) on \(\mathrm{Sk}_q(M_K)\) admits a canonical deformation to an action of \(\mathrm{SH}_{q,t_1,t_2,1,1}\) for any \(t_1\), \(t_2\). In the article under discussion the authors show that this conjecture (at \(q = -1\)) has a natural interpretation in terms of the \textit{Brumfiel-Hilden algebra} \(H[\pi_1(M)]\) [\textit{G. W. Brumfiel} and \textit{H. M. Hilden}, \(\text{SL}(2)\) representations of finitely presented groups. Providence, RI: AMS, American Mathematical Society (1995; Zbl 0838.20006)]. More precisely, the authors show that an earlier conjecture of Brumfiel and Hilden about \(H[\pi_1(M)]\) implies their deformation conjecture at \(q=-1\). Also, the authors verify the Brumfiel-Hilden conjecture for torus knots, 2-bridge knots and certain pretzel knots.