HOMFLYPT skein sub-modules of the Lens spaces \(L(p,1)\) (Q820635)

Skein modules were introduced by Przytycki and later independently by Turaev for knots and links in general 3-manifolds. They are generated by all linear combinations of knots/links up to isotopy mod skein relations (e.g. Alexander, Jones, Kauffman bracket, HOMFLYPT). For 3-manifolds that are products of a 2D surface by an interval, the skein modules can be equipped with an algebra structure by placing one over the other. Explicit calculation of the algebras for particular surfaces is in general rather difficult. The paper concerns calculation of the skein algebra in the case of a lens space (times interval) \(L(p,1)\), or rather certain simplifications of earlier results concerning this case. Two elements are crucial for this calculation. One is connecting the skein algebra of the lens space to the skein algebra of the solid torus. The second one is the Alexander theorem that says knots/links are obtained by closing braids. In earlier work, mainly by Lambropolou, the structure of the skein algebra for the solid torus and the lens space is described, though the explicit description of the algebra requires solving an infinite set of equations. The paper concerns a significant simplification of this set of equations and thus the skein algebra via a clever choice of the basis in the skein algebra of the solid torus.