Properties of knots preserved by cabling (Q429576)

A classical result of H. Schubert says that for a satellite knot \(K\) with companion \(J\) and pattern \(\tilde K\) with wrapping number \(n\), \(b(K)\geq nb(J)\), where \(b(K)\) is the bridge number of the knot \(K\), and in particular if \(K\) is a \((p,q)\)-cable of \(J\) then \(b(K)=nb(J)\). Instead of bridge number, this paper considers the width of a knot \(K\), \(w(K)\), as defined by \textit{D. Gabai} [J. Differ. Geom. 26, 479--536 (1987; Zbl 0639.57008)]. In a previous paper [Topol. Proc. 40, 179--188 (2012; Zbl 1280.57012)], the author proposed the conjecture that for a satellite knot \(K\) with companion \(J\) and pattern \(\tilde K\) with wrapping number \(n\), \(w(K)\geq n^2w(J)\).NEWLINENEWLINEIn the paper under review this conjecture is proved for cable knots, namely it is shown that if \(K\) is a \((p,q)\)-cable of \(J\) then \(w(K)=n^2w(J)\). The author also considers properties of knots preserved under cabling. Let \({\mathcal L}\), \({\mathcal M}\) and \({\mathcal M}{\mathcal P}\) be the classes of knots whose exterior does not contain any closed essential incompressible surface, any essential meridional surface, or any essential meridional planar surface, respectively. Let \({\mathcal B}{\mathcal T}\) be the class of bridge thin knots, i.e., knots that satisfy that \(w(K)=2b(K)^2\). It follows that \({\mathcal L} \subset {\mathcal M} \subset {\mathcal M}{\mathcal P} \subset {\mathcal B}{\mathcal T}\). All these inclusions are proper, and the author refers to the corresponding references, except for the case \({\mathcal M} \subset {\mathcal M}{\mathcal P}\). This inclusion is also proper, as shown by the examples given by the reviewer [Bol. Soc. Mat. Mex., III. Ser. 6, No. 2, 263--277 (2000; Zbl 0976.57006)], i.e., knots whose exteriors contain an essential meridional surface, but that do no contain essential planar meridional surfaces, as such knots are tunnel number one. It follows from the author's result mentioned above that \(J\in {\mathcal K}{\mathcal T}\) if and only if every cable \(K\) of \(J\) is in \({\mathcal K}{\mathcal T}\). It is clear that a cable knot is not in \({\mathcal L}\), but the author proves that a knot \(J \in {\mathcal M}\) (or \(J\in {\mathcal M}{\mathcal P}\)) if and only if every cable \(K\) of \(J\) is in \({\mathcal M}\) (\({\mathcal M}{\mathcal P}\)).