Relating virtual knot invariants to links in the 3-sphere (Q1796313)

The authors present results relating invariants of virtual knots to links in the 3-sphere. These relations depend on \textit{virtual covers}. Definition. Let \(L=J\sqcup K\) be a two-component link in \(S^3\), with \(J\) fibered and \(lk(J, K)=0\). Then \(K\) lifts to a knot \(\overline{K}\) in the infinite cyclic cover \(\Sigma_J \times \mathbb{R}\) of \(J\). \(\overline{K}\) projects to a virtual knot \(V\) on \(\Sigma_J\). Then \(L, \overline{K}\) are a \textit{virtual cover} of \(V\). Note that every virtual knot can be obtained from some virtual cover [\textit{M. W. Chrisman} and \textit{V. O. Manturov}, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 22, No. 12, Article ID 1341003, 23 p. (2013; Zbl 1325.57003)]. The authors provide the following results. Theorem. Let \(L=J\sqcup K\) be a boundary link which is a virtual cover of a virtual knot \(V\). Suppose that \(K\) bounds a Seifert surface disjoint from a fiber in the fibration of \(S^3 - J\). Then \(V\) is almost classical and admits an Alexander polynomial as defined in [\textit{H. U. Boden} et al., Fundam. Math. 238, No. 2, 101--142 (2017; Zbl 1386.57007)]. Furthermore, this polynomial can be calculated from the multi-variable Alexander polynomial (MVAP) of the boundary link \(L\). Remark. Note that \textit{almost classical} virtual knots are virtual knots which bound a Seifert surface in some thickened surface. This result provides a way of using virtual covers to relate Alexander-type invariants of virtual knots to Alexander-type invariants of classical links in \(S^3\). The authors go on to prove that there is a relationship between the \textit{index} of a crossing of a virtual knot and the Milnor triple linking number of certain virtual covers for that knot. This is particularly useful because almost classical virtual knots must have diagrams in which every crossing has index 0, in which case the main result relating the Alexander polynomials of the virtual cover and the virtual knot apply. However, even if this does not hold, this still shows that there is a relationship between the virtual knot and the invariants of its virtual covers. For readers who are not familiar, the authors provide a self-contained description of the index and of Milnor's triple linking numbers. The final main result in this paper gives an attempt to extend these techniques utilizing virtual covers to multi-component links. The authors give the following definition: Definition. Let \(L=J\sqcup K\) be an \((n+1)\)-component link, with \(K\) a knot. A fiber stabilization of \(L\) is the addition of an unknotted component \(J_0\) to \(L\) such that \(J_0\sqcup J\) is fibered, and \(K\) has algebraic intersection 0 with some fiber of \(J_0\sqcup J\). The following result shows that this technique allows us to relate any link to some virtual knot: Theorem. Every multi-component link has a fiber stabilization, and every fiber stabilized link has a virtual cover. The authors hope that these results will allow more applications of virtual knot techniques to the study of classical knots and links in \(S^3\). In particular, this final main result is hoped to provide a tool for studying all links using virtual knots.