Vassiliev invariants and the cubical knot complex (Q1869156)

Let \(M\) be a 3-manifold. In this paper the equivalence classes of oriented singular knots in \(M\) with \(n\) double points, \(n=0,1,2,\dots \) are given the structure of a CW-complex \(CK(M)\) . By attaching additional cells corresponding to degenerate 1 and 2-singular knots, a complex \(\overline{CK}(M)\) is obtained. The authors show that the rational cohomology algebra of \(CK(M)\) contains Vassiliev invariants, and that \(\overline{CK}(M)\) is simply connected if the first and second homotopy groups of \(M\) are trivial. Additional results depending on the integrability and differentiability of co-cycles are also obtained. When \({M}={E}^3\) the results are more incisive. The authors show for example that \(\pi_2(\overline{CK}({E}^3))={\mathbb Z}\) ; they prove that the vector space of type 2 Vassiliev invariants of 2-singular knots is isomorphic to \({H}^2(CK({E}^3))\), they credit to Yasuhara a theorem with a corollary stating that any Vassiliev invariant of order \(\leqslant 2n\) coming from the Conway polynomial is represented by a non-trivial element of \({H}^{2n}(CK({E}^3),{D})\), where \(D\) is the subcomplex of degenerate singular knots. They also define a bialgebra of ordered chord diagrams which is compatible with the algebra (with cup products) they made possible on the Vassiliev invariants.