On degree of simplicial homomorphisms between link groups (Q386212)

Let \(L\) be a framed link in \({\mathbf S^3}\) with a specified normal vector field \(f\), and let \(X\) be the normal vector field along \(L\) obtained by taking the cross product of \(f\) and the tangent vector field along \(L\). Let \(L_k\) be the copy of \(L\) pushed away from \(L\) by a distance \(\displaystyle 1 - \frac 1 {k+1}\) in the direction of \(X\), let \({\mathbf L}_n = \{L_0, L_1, ...,L_n\}\), and let \(G({\mathbf L}_n) = \pi_1(\mathbf S^3 - \mathbf L_n)\), the link group of \({\mathbf L}_n\). There is a canonical simplicial group structure on the sequence of link groups \(G(L,X) = \{G({\mathbf L}_n)| n \geq 0\}\), and it is known that, for any nontrivial framed link \(L\), \(G(L,X)\) is homotopy equivalent to the loop space of a wedge of 3-spheres. In this paper the author explores some properties of these simplicial groups, and examines the difference between these simplicial groups and Kan's free simplicial group construction \(GS^3\), which is a classical simplicial group model for the loop space \(\Omega S^3\). It is shown that for a framed trivial knot \(K\) with \({\mathbf K}_n\) a Hopf link with \(k+1\) components, an integer \(m\) can be realized as a degree of a simplicial homomorphism of \(G(K;X)\) if and only if \(m\) is a perfect square.