A formula for the Dubrovnik polynomial of rational knots (Q517515)

The article under review concerns the calculation of the Dubrovnik polynomial of rational links. We recall that the Dubrovnik polynomial is a variant of the Kauffman polynomial and is thus an invariant of links. The authors claim to produce a closed-form formula for the Dubrovnik polynomial given a plat closure of the rational link under study in terms of the numbers of crossings of its twists. The authors take care in distinguishing the current article from other articles concerning calculations of the Kauffman polynomial for rational links. The idea for the proof of the formula seems to lean on applying skein relations to rational links in order to obtain other rational links with twists with fewer crossings.