An action of \(\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)\) on odd annular Khovanov homology (Q1996245)

Khovanov homology was introduced in [Duke Math. J. 101, No. 3, 359--426 (2000; Zbl 0960.57005)] by \textit{M. Khovanov} as a categorification of Jones polynomial. Given a link \(L\) in \(S^3\), Khovanov homology assigns a bigraded vector space to \(L\). \textit{M. M. Asaeda} et al. [Algebr. Geom. Topol. 4, 1177--1210 (2004; Zbl 1070.57008)] introduced annular Khovanov homology for links in a thickened annulus \(A \times I\). This homology is triply-graded, and the third grading captures in some way how many times the link \textit{winds} around the annulus. On the other hand, \textit{P. S. Ozsváth} et al. defined in [ibid. 13, No. 3, 1465--1488 (2013; Zbl 1297.57032)] an \textit{odd} version of (original) Khovanov homology, which agrees with Khovanov's original construction when taking \(\mathbb{Z}_2\) coefficients. In this paper the authors introduce an annular version of odd Khovanov homology by adapting the construction in [loc. cit.] to the setting of annular links. In [\textit{J. E. Grigsby} et al., Compos. Math. 154, No. 3, 459--502 (2017; Zbl 1422.57036)] it was proved that annular Khovanov homology carries an action of the Lie algebra \(\mathfrak{sl}(2)\). In this paper, the authors prove that odd annular Khovanov homology defined by them carries an action of the Lie superalgebra \(\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)\), which is preserved under annular Reidemeister moves. To do so, they explicitly describe the \(\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)\) action and show that the boundary maps in the odd annular Khovanov complex intertwine the \(\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)\) action on the odd annular Khovanov homology of an annular link diagram. Their main result is summarized in Theorem 2: If two annular link diagrams differ by an annular Reidemeister move, then the associated odd annular Khovanov complexes are homotopy equivalent as complexes of \(\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)\) representations.