No label defined (Q4529478)

Let \(M\) be a 3-manifold. The q-homotopy skein module \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(M)\) of \(M\) is defined as the quotient of the free \(\mathbb{Z} [q^{\pm 1},z]\)-module generated by all link homotopy classes of oriented links in \(M\) by skein relations of the form \(q^{-1} L_{+} - q L_{-} - z L_{0}\). The module \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(M)\) generalizes the homotopy skein module \(\mathcal{HS}(M)\) (\(q \to 1)\) which has been studied previously by the author, J.~Hoste and U.~Kaiser. In the paper under review the module \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(S^{3})\) is studied in detail. It is shown that the module \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(S^{3})\) can be identified with the ring \(\mathbb{Z}[q^{\pm 1},t,z]\). Thus the class of a link \(L\) in \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(S^{3})\) defines the homotopy polynomial \(HP_{L}(q,t,z) \in \mathbb{Z}[q^{\pm 1},t,z]\). The author shows that the linking matrix of \(L\) determines \(HP_{L}(q,t,z)\). Moreover, he shows that \(HP_{L}(q,t,z)\) corresponds to (a variant of) the dichromatic polynomial of the weighted graph associated to \(L\). Examples of links in \(S^{3}\) with the same Jones-Conway polynomial but different homotopy polynomials are given. The author proves also that \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(F\times I)\) is free if \(\pi_{1}(F)\) is abelian and he shows that the module \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(F\times I)\) has torsion if \(\pi_{1}(F)\) is nonabelian. This is a special case of the main result in [\textit{U. Kaiser}, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 10, No. 3, 461-491 (2001; Zbl 0994.57016), see below] where U. Kaiser shows that \(\mathcal{HS}^{q}(M)\) is free if and only if \(\pi_{1}(M)\) is abelian and the embedding \(\partial M \to M\) induces a surjection \(H_{2}(\partial M; \mathbb{R}) \to H_{2}(M; \mathbb{R})\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 0980.00048].