HOMFLY-PT homology for general link diagrams and braidlike isotopy (Q2409815)

\textit{M. Khovanov} and \textit{L. Rozansky} introduced in [Geom. Topol. 12, No. 3, 1387--1425 (2008; Zbl 1146.57018)] a triply-graded link homology theory \(\mathcal H\) which categorifies the HOMFLY-PT polynomial. They proved invariance of \(\mathcal H\) under braidlike Reidemeister moves (i.e. all involved strands are oriented in the same way), therefore in order to obtain a link invariant, they required a link to be presented as a braid closure. The main result of the paper under review states that \(\mathcal H\) fails to be invariant under nonbraidlike Reidemeister moves. In particular it is not invariant under the Reidemeister IIb move (i.e. the oriented Reidemeister II move with the two strands having opposite orientations). The main tool in the proof of the main theorem is the virtual crossing filtration introduced in [\textit{M. Abel} and \textit{L. Rozansky}, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 26, No. 10, Article ID 1750052, 38 p. (2017; Zbl 1421.57005)]. Moreover, the author considers decategorification of \(\mathcal{H}\), which he denotes by \(P^b\), for general link diagrams. When \(D\) is a braid closure, \(P^b(D)\) is equal to the HOMFLY-PT polynomial of \(D\), otherwise it is a deformation of the HOMFLY-PT polynomial which is invariant up to braidlike isotopy. In fact, the author gives an example of two isotopic diagrams, with different \(P^b\), therefore, \(P^b\) is able to detect nonbraidlike isotopies. In the last section the author shows that the framework of HOMFLY-PT homology of Khovanov and Rozansky cannot be extended to virtual links.