A spanning set and potential basis of the mixed Hecke algebra on two fixed strands (Q1756934)

This work is part of the authors' bigger program of studying generalisations of the Iwahori-Hecke algebras, with the motivation of constructing polynomial invariants for oriented links in different \(3\)-manifolds as Markov traces. In particular in this paper they focus on the mixed braid group on two fixed strands \(B_{2, n}\). The elements of this group are braids with two fixed strands and \(n\) moving ones, and are related to the knot theory of the handlebody of genus two. They define the mixed Hecke algebra \(H_{2, n}(q)\) as the quotient of the group algebra \(\mathbb{Z}[q^{\pm 1}] B_{2, n}\) over the quadratic relations of the classical Iwahori-Hecke algebra for the braiding generators. To construct Markov traces one would need an inductive basis for this algebra. However, this is a very hard problem, considering that \(H_{2, n}(q)\) is infinite dimensional. The authors make a first step in this sense by giving a spanning set that appears to be a good candidate for being such a basis.