Boundary slopes of knots (Q1969352)

If \(K\) is a knot in the 3-sphere, any minimal genus spanning surface may be isotoped so as to meet the exterior \(M= M(K)\) in a non-separating bounded essential surface. The authors proved in a previous paper [Invent. Math. 75, 537-545 (1984; Zbl 0542.57011)] that if \(K\) is non-trivial, then \(M\) always contains a connected bounded separating essential surface \(F\) (with non-vanishing boundary slope). The set of all boundary slopes of essential surfaces is finite for any knot exterior \(M\) [\textit{A. E. Hatcher}, Pac. J. Math. 99, 373-377 (1982; Zbl 0502.57005)]. The authors show that any non-trivial knot, with irreducible complement, in a homotopy 3-sphere must have two boundary slopes that differ by at least 2. This statement is false for knots in a homology 3-sphere. Then the authors obtain results more generally for knots in closed orientable 3-manifolds with cyclic fundamental group.