Knot 4-genus and the rank of classes in \(W(\mathbb Q(t))\) (Q650126)

For a knot \(K \subset S^{3}\) the \(4\)-genus \(g_{4}(K)\) of \(K\) is the minimum genus of a smoothly embedded surface in \(B^{4}\) bounded by \(K\). It is known that the Witt rank \(\rho(w)\) of a class \(w\) in the Witt group \(W({\mathbb F})\) of a field \(\mathbb F\) with involution is related to the \(4\)-genus. The author defines a easily computed invariant \(r(w)\) and shows that modulo torsion in the Witt group, \(r\) determines \(\rho\). From this the author is able to deduce stronger bounds on the \(4\)-genus than the classical signature bounds.