Link theory and new restrictions for \(M\)-curves of degree nine (Q5930966)

The author shows that certain arrangements of circles in the real projective plane cannot be isotopic to any real nonsingular algebraic curve of degree 9. This restriction is obtained by means of a new method developed by the author [\textit{S. Yu. Orevkov}, Topology 38, 779-810 (1999; Zbl 0923.14032)] and based on the study of braids which can be associated with real plane algebraic curves. This is especially interesting, since other known methods apply mainly to curves of even degree. Proofs are sketchy, long computations are omitted.