Varieties of representations of virtual knot groups in \(SL_2(\mathbb C)\) (Q1867178)

Spaces of representations of knot groups in \(SL_2({\mathbb C})\) have been of great interest to topologists in recent years. One important question in understanding such spaces is when an abelian representation of the knot group is the endpoint of a curve of irreducible representations. In [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 326, 795-828 (1991; Zbl 0743.57003)] \textit{E. Klassen} showed that for an abelian SU(2)-representation, if the square of the eigenvalue of the image of the meridian is not a root of the Alexander polynomial, then the representation has a neighborhood consisting entirely of abelian representations. On the other hand, if the square of the eigenvalue of the image of the meridian is a root of the Alexander polynomial, the picture is much more complicated. This has been studied by \textit{E. Frohman} and \textit{E. Klassen} [Comment. Math. Helv. 66, 340-361 (1991; Zbl 0738.57001)], \textit{C. Herald} [Math. Ann. 309, 21-35 (1997; Zbl 0887.57013)], \textit{M. Heusener, J. Porti} and \textit{E. Suarez Peiro} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 530, 191-227 (2001; Zbl 0964.57006)] and by \textit{L. Ben Abdelghani} [Ann. Inst. Fourier 50, 1297-1321 (2000; Zbl 0956.57006)]. Let \(\Gamma\) be any group such that \(\Gamma/\Gamma'\) is isomorphic to \({\mathbb Z}\), with element \(\mu\) being sent to 1 under abelianization. In [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 11, No. 1, 81-104 (2002; Zbl 0997.57036)] the authors found criteria guaranteeing the existence of an arc of irreducible \(SL_2({\mathbb C})\)-representations terminating at a given abelian representation. In the current paper, the authors show: given a representation of \(\Gamma\) in \(SL_2({\mathbb C})\), if the square of the eigenvalue of the image of \(\mu\) is a root of the Alexander polynomial and the inverse of the square of the eigenvalue of the image of \(\mu\) is not a root of the Alexander polynomial, then the representation has a neighborhood containing only reducible representations. Moreover, the authors apply both of these theorems to the study of representations of virtual knot groups [as introduced by \textit{L. H. Kauffman}, Eur. J. Comb. 20, 663-690 (1999; Zbl 0938.57006)].