A new basis for the homflypt skein module of the solid torus (Q888835)

The Homflypt skein module of the solid torus provides the natural parameter space for the Homfly satellite invariants, directly connected with the quantum sl\((N)\) invariants of knots. It has been largely studied, starting with the work by \textit{V. G. Turaev} [Zap. Nauchn. Semin. Leningr. Otd. Mat. Inst. Steklova 167, 79--89 (1988; Zbl 0673.57004)], who showed it to be a polynomial algebra with a very simple basis. Another basis, given in [\textit{R. J. Hadji} and \textit{H. R. Morton}, Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 141, No. 1, 81--100 (2006; Zbl 1108.57005)], is formed by the eigenvectors of the meridian maps on the annulus (the diagrammatic version of the solid torus). Motivated by the study of the Homflypt skein module of the lens spaces, in this paper the authors provide a new basis of the Homflypt skein module of the solid torus, originally predicted by J. H. Przytycki. The new basis is topologically compatible with the handle sliding move. For the proof the authors compare the new basis with the basis established by Turaev, with help of the type \(B\) version of the Hecke algebra. This algebra is geometrically defined as the linear combinations of braids (with some appropriate ring of coefficients) modulo the quadratic Homflypt skein relation, and where the first strand is vertically fixed. The basis is then formed by monomials involving powers of the element \(t\), which takes the second strand around the (fixed) first one and the elements \(t_i\), already used by Morton in connection with the Murphy operators and a geometric description of the center of the Hecke algebra of type \(A\).