Finite type link invariants and the non-invertibility of links (Q1815217)

The main result of the paper under review says that the Campbell-Hausdorff invariants of a link \(L\), \(\{CH^{(k)}(L)\}\), recently introduced by the reviewer [Proc. London Math. Soc., to appear], are of finite type, in a certain sense. For a fixed \(k\), \(CH^{(k)} (L)\) is a non-numerical invariant which belongs to a universal orbit space \(\widehat{M}_k/U\), where the finite dimensional linear representation \(U \to \text{GL}(\widehat{M}_k)\) depends only on \(n\), the number of components of \(L\). Its construction starts with a choice, \(\underline{\ell}\), of an algebraic Milnor system of longitudes for the \(k\)-th nilpotent quotient of the fundamental group of the link complement, like in the construction of Milnor's \(\overline{\mu}\)-invariants [\textit{J. W. Milnor}, Princeton Math. Series 12, 280-306 (1957; Zbl 0080.16901)]. The Campbell-Hausdorff formula gives rise to an element \(\partial(\underline{\ell})\in \widehat{M}_k\). Different choices lead to elements of \(\widehat{M}_k\) which belong to the same \(U\)-orbit. The author shows that, if the number of double points of a marked singular link \(L\) is large enough, then there is a choice of a Milnor system \(\underline{\ell}^\varepsilon\) for each resolution of singularities \(L^\varepsilon\) such that the usual signed sum \(\sum_\varepsilon \pm\partial(\underline{\ell})\) vanishes. His construction of such an uniform choice involves a marking, i.e. a distinguished point on each component of \(L\) away from the double points. This may be used to convert \(L\) into a singular string link \(\sigma\), by cutting along a disk \(D\) in \(S^3\) which intersects \(L\) transversally at the marked points. The author derives then the above statement from his general vanishing result [Proc. 1993 Georgia Topology Conf., to appear], valid for an arbitrary formal series expansion applied to the Artin-type representations associated to a singular string link. The author also remarks that the Campbell-Hausdorff invariants, like the \(\overline{\mu}\)-invariants, can not be determined by quantum invariants, for many-component links. This is due to the fact that the former can easily detect changes of orientation, while the latter can not detect the non-invertibility of links.