When is region crossing change an unknotting operation? (Q2845622)

A region crossing change on a classical link diagram in euclidean 2-space is the operation that exerts a crossing change on all crossing points on the boundary of a particular region. It was defined and studied for knots by \textit{A. Shimizu} [Region crossing change is an unknotting operation; \url{arXiv:1011.6304}] and is related to the puzzle game ``Region Select''. Generally, region crossing change is called an unknotting operation on a link diagram if repeated application on suitable regions leads to a trivial link. Improving upon previous joint work with \textit{H. Z. Gao} [Sci. China, Math. 55, No. 7, 1487--1495 (2012; Zbl 1260.57007)], the author proves that region crossing change is an unknotting operation if and only if the link is proper, i.e., the sum of the mutual linking numbers of the components of the link is even. Moreover, for a proper link with a reduced diagram, the effect of a region crossing change on the Arf invariant is completely described by the local crossing behavior at the crossing points on the boundary of the pertinent region. This allows for a direct calculation of the Arf invariant of a proper link avoiding the detour via a knot.