On ribbon graphs and virtual links (Q2136201)

A ribbon graph is a graph together with a surface that deformation retracts onto the graph. Virtual links, as a generalization of classical links in \(S^3\), are circles embedded in thickened orientable surfaces of arbitrary genus. In the paper under review, the authors introduce graphenes, which are new equivalence classes of decorated ribbon graphs. The authors define a functor \(\mathbb{K}\) from the category of graphenes to that of virtual links, and demonstrate that it yields an isomorphism which can be used to transport invariants between the two categories. The authors also outline how this correspondence can be used to convert any invariant of virtual links into an invariant of ribbon graphs, and vice versa.