Distance one Lens space fillings and band surgery on the trefoil knot (Q2279061)

The authors prove the following theorem: The lens space \(L(n, 1)\) is obtained by a distance one surgery along a knot in the lens space \(L(3, 1)\) if and only if \(n\) is one of \(\pm 1, \pm 2, 3, 4, -6\) or \(7\). The main result is proved by studying the behavior of the Heegaard Floer \(d\)-invariants under integral surgery along knots in \(L(3, 1)\). Using a result of \textit{J. M. Montesinos} [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 27, 85--94 (1976; Zbl 0326.57002)] that implies that the branched double covers of two links related by a band surgery are obtained by distance one Dehn fillings of a three-manifold with torus boundary, the authors get the following corollary: The torus knot \(T(2, n)\) is obtained from \(T(2, 3)\) by a noncoherent banding if and only if \(n\) is \(\pm 1, 3\) or \(7\). The torus link \(T(2, n)\) is obtained from \(T(2, 3)\) by a coherent banding if and only if \(n\) is \(\pm 2, 4\) or \(-6\). Besides of purely mathematical interest, this is work is motivated by the study of recombination on circular DNA molecules, where local reconnection processes occurring in nature can be modeled as band surgeries and the family of torus knots or links \(T(2, n)\) is frequently experimentally observed.