Slice and Gordian numbers of track knots (Q1775269)

A track knot is modeled around a compact interval generically immersed into the plane. More precisely, a knot diagram is derived from the boundary curve of a band neighborhood of the immersed interval. Labels on the self-intersections direct a corresponding weaving pattern on the two respective curve pairs. Additional points placed on the immersed interval according to a specific rule, give rise to double twists of the curve pairs. If these are absent then the track knot is called special. A connected sum of (special) track knots is a (special) track knot. This is not the case with A'Campo's free divides which are related to track knots. Using the Slice Bennequin inequality, the author proves that the clasp number and the 4-genus of a track knot can be read off the labeling, and under a mild restriction also the Gordian number and the ordinary genus, and they all have the same value. This entails additivity of the clasp number and the 4-genus for track knots, and of the Gordian number and the genus for special track knots. Inspired by quasipositivity of track knots, a notion of quasipositivity of knot diagrams is introduced and shown to be stronger. In closing, knots of up to ten crossings are studied in this context.