Applications of the Casson-Walker invariant to the knot complement and the cosmetic crossing conjectures (Q2168043)

The Casson-Walker invariant of a rational homology 3-sphere \(X\) counts the (signed) flat \(SU(2)\)-connections on \(X\), or equivalently the (signed) irreducible \(SU(2)\)-representations of the fundamental group of \(X\). The invariant was developed by Casson for integral homology spheres, and Casson also gave a surgery formula for computing the invariant of a 3-manifold obtained by integral Dehn surgery on a knot in an integral homology sphere. \textit{K. Walker} [An extension of Casson's invariant. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (1992; Zbl 0752.57011)] extended the definition and the Dehn surgery formula to an invariant for rational homology spheres. A surgery formula for manifolds resulting from integral Dehn surgery on a link of 2 components in \(S^3\) was provided by \textit{S. Matveev} and \textit{M. Polyak} [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 18, No. 6, 841--864 (2009; Zbl 1195.57033)]. In the paper reviewed here, the author extends the formula of Matveev and Polyak to rational Dehn surgeries on two component links. The author applies this formula to extend known partial results for two famous conjectures: the oriented knot complement conjecture (\textit{Knots are determined by their complements}) and the cosmetic surgery conjecture (\textit{If \(D\) is a diagram for an oriented knot \(K\) in \(S^3\) and if the crossing change of a crossing \(c\) in \(D\) preserves \(K\) as an oriented knot, then \(c\) is nugatory}). Specifically, the author uses the new surgery formula to extend the class of 3-manifolds \(M\) for which the oriented knot complement conjecture for knots in \(M\) is established and to extend the class of knots \(K\) known to satisfy the cosmetic surgery conjecture.