Claspers and finite type invariants of links (Q1978050)

This landmark paper introduces the theory of claspers. The same theory was independently introduced by \textit{M. N. Gusarov} [St. Petersbg. Math. J. 12, No. 4, 569--604 (2001); translation from Algebra Anal. 12, No. 4, 79--125 (2001; Zbl 0981.57006); C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 329, No. 6, 517--522 (1999: Zbl 0938.57013)], \textit{S. Garoufalidis, M. Goussarov} and \textit{M. Polyak} [Geom. Topol. 5, 75--108 (2001; Zbl 1066.57015)]. Clasper theory serves a number of purposes. First and foremost, it provides a topological counterpart to Jacobi diagrams, explaining their Lie algebra structure in terms of the natural Hopf algebraic structure of a certain category of cobordisms. Secondly, for each positive integer \(n\), claspers provide a natural set of local moves (\(C_n\)-moves) which modify knots while preserving their invariants of type \(\leq n\). Third, claspers provide a convenient graphical language with which to manipulate knotted objects, whose formalism makes various classical arguments (for example the proof that any two links with the same linking matrix are related by \(\Delta\)--moves [\textit{H. Murakami, Y. Nakanishi}, Math. Ann. 284, No. 1, 75--89 (1989; Zbl 0646.57005)]) look very easy. Fourth, claspers give rise to algebraically convenient surgery presentations of knots and of boundary links. This is one of the most important papers in quantum topology.