The Jones-Krushkal polynomial and minimal diagrams of surface links (Q2675329)

The Tait conjectures regarding alternating links in \( S^3 \) may be formulated for links in \( \Sigma \times I \) (for \( \Sigma \) a closed orientable surface). The celebrated Kauffman-Murasugi-Thistlethwaite theorem resolves the first and second Tait conjectures in the positive, using the Jones polynomial [\textit{L. H. Kauffman}, Topology 26, 395--407 (1987; Zbl 0622.57004); \textit{K. Murasugi}, ibid. 26, 187--194 (1987; Zbl 0628.57004); \textit{M. B. Thistlethwaite}, ibid. 26, 297--309 (1987; Zbl 0622.57003)]. The paper under review establishes an appropriate version of the Kauffman-Murasugi-Thistlethwaite theorem for links in \( \Sigma \times I \), in terms of an augmented Jones polynomial due to Krushkal that is sensitive to the topology of \( \Sigma \) [\textit{V. Krushkal}, Comb. Probab. Comput. 20, No. 2, 267--287 (2011; Zbl 1211.05029)]. The first and second Tait conjectures for links in \( \Sigma \times I \) (and the closely related setting of virtual links) follow as corollaries of this result. For example, it is proved that if \( D \) is a reduced alternating link diagram on \( \Sigma \) then it has minimal crossing number, and that any two such diagrams have the same writhe [\textit{L. H. Kauffman}, loc. cit.].