Birack shadow modules and their link invariants (Q2859563)

For a set \(X\), a birack structure on \(X\) is a function \(B: X \times X \to X \times X\) satisfying three properties: sideways invertibility, diagonal invertibility, and the set-theoretic Yang-Baxter equation. Given a blackboard framed link diagram, the semi-arcs at each crossings are labeled with elements of \(X\). The conditions defining a birack guarantee that the labeling is preserved by the blackboard framed Reidemeister move. For example, satisfying the set-theoretic Yang-Baxter equation implies that the Reidemeister III move preserves labels from \(X\). A finite birack can be used to define an invariant called the integral birack counting invariant. \newline One may also label the regions of the knot diagram: the connected components obtained by cutting out the underlying immersed curve from \(S^2\) (i.e. the shadow of the knot diagram). A birack shadow is a right action of a set \(S\) on the birack \(X\) satisfying an additional condition so that blackboard framed Reidemeister moves are again preserved. Similarly, one can count the number of shadow labelings to obtain a link invariant. The authors show that this invariant is unfortunately determined by the integral birack counting invariant. \newline To rectify this situation, the authors introduce a shadow algebra. Start with a birack \(X\) and a birack shadow \(S\). A shadow algebra is the quotient of a free \(\mathbb{Z}\)-algebra by an ideal, again chosen so that the blackboard framed Reidemeister moves are satisfied. Additionally the authors define a shadow module as a representation of the shadow algebra. The authors then construct two invariants: the shadow module multiset and the shadow module polynomial. \newline Computer calculations are used to find shadow modules. For one of these shadow modules, the authors compute the shadow module polynomial for all prime knots with less than eight crossings and all prime links up to seven crossings. A particularly interesting fact is that the shadow module polynomial can distinguish the knots \(8_{18}\) and \(9_{24}\); this would be an impossible feat with just the Alexander polynomial.