On the geometry of the slice of trace-free \(SL_2(\mathbb{C})\)-characters of a knot group (Q1938410)

Let \(K\) be a knot in an integral homology three-sphere \(\Sigma\). Put \(E_K:=\Sigma\setminus{K}\) and let \(B_2\) be the two-fold branched cover of \(\Sigma\) branched along \(K\). In the paper under review the authors study the relationship between the \(SL_2(\mathbb{C})\)-character variety of \(\pi_1(E_K)\), denoted \(X(E_K)\), and that of \(\pi_1(B_2)\), denoted \(X(B_2)\). They define a map \(\Phi\) from \(S_0(E_K)\subset X(E_K)\) to \(X(B_2)\), where \(S_0(E)\) is the set of characters whose trace is \(0\). Then they prove that \(\Phi\) becomes a two-fold branched covering (over its image) branched along the set of abelian characters with preimage the set of metabelian characters. It is also shown that any metabelian character in \(X(E_K)\) can be represented by the character of a binary dihedral representation of \(\pi_1(E_K)\). In the case of two-bridge knots and pretzel knots of three tassels, the map \(\Phi\) is shown to be surjective. Some extensions to \(n\)-fold branched covers are also discussed.