Invariants of random knots and links (Q312136)

In this paper the distribution of finite type invariants of random knots and links is studied. A knot is a simple closed curve in \({\mathbb R}^3\) up to equivalence generated by an isotopy of \({\mathbb R}^3\), while a link is a disjoint union of simple closed curves, with the same equivalence. The random knots and links investigated in this paper are based on the Petaluma model, which determines a knot or link from a petal diagram and a permutation. A knot invariant associates to a curve a quantity, such as a real number, a polynomial, or a group, that depends only on the knot type of the curve. An important class of knot and link invariants are the so-called finite type invariants, see [\textit{S. Chmutov}, \textit{S. Duzhin} and \textit{J. Mostovoy}, Introduction to Vassiliev knot invariants. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2012; Zbl 1245.57003)]. More recently there have been interesting attempts to study random 3-manifolds, see [\textit{A. Lubotzky} et al., Proc. Steklov Inst. Math. 292, 118--142 (2016; Zbl 1354.57026)]. In Sections 2, 3 and 4 the authors investigate invariants of order 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in the random model: the linking number in Section 2, the Casson invariant \(c_2\) in Section 3, and the third coefficient of the modified Jones polynomial in Section 4. At the end of Section 3, some calculations of \(c_2\) moments and numerical results are presented.