Models of random knots

DOI10.1007/S41468-017-0007-8MaRDI QIDQ1659256zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Chaim Even-Zohar

Publication date 15 August 2018

Published in Journal of Applied and Computational Topology (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.10470

zbMATH Keywords

finite type invariants models of random knots petal numbers Petaluma model random knot über-crossing

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Probability measures on topological spaces (60B05)

Abstract: The study of knots and links from a probabilistic viewpoint provides insight into the behavior of "typical" knots, and opens avenues for new constructions of knots and other topological objects with interesting properties. The knotting of random curves arises also in applications to the natural sciences, such as in the context of the structure of polymers. We present here several known and new randomized models of knots and links. We review the main known results on the knot distribution in each model. We discuss the nature of these models and the properties of the knots they produce. Of particular interest to us are finite type invariants of random knots, and the recently studied Petaluma model. We report on rigorous results and numerical experiments concerning the asymptotic distribution of such knot invariants. Our approach raises questions of universality and classification of the various random knot models.

Review text

The first half of the article contains a review of various models of random knots, such as self avoiding closed walks on the cubic lattice \(\mathbb{Z}^3\), random polygons in \(\mathbb{R}^3\), smoothed Brownian motion in \(\mathbb{R}^3\), random grid diagrams in \(\mathbb{R}^2\), random planar diagrams in \(\mathbb{R}^2\), random braids and random planar Lissajous curves. For each model the main known results on the knot distribution, the nature of these models and the properties of the knots they produce are discussed. This part of the paper can serve as an excellent source of the current literature on these models. Of particular interest to the author is a Petaluma model where a knot diagram has only a single crossing and several projected strands smoothly traverse this crossing at different heights. \textit{C. Adams} et al. [J. Knot Theory Ramifications 24, No. 3, Article ID 1550011 (2015; Zbl 1322.57004) and ibid. 24, No. 2, Article ID 1550012, 16 p. (2015; Zbl 1316.57011)] have shown that every knot or link has a planar projection with a single crossing -- the so called multi-crossing or über-crossing. Moreover, every knot has a petal projection, where the loops that emanate from the multi-crossing point have disjoint interiors. Consequently, petal projections are represented by a rose-shaped curve with an odd number of petals. In order to reconstruct the original knot one needs only the relative ordering of the heights of the strands above the multi-crossing point and this information can be encoded in a single permutation \(\sigma\). Random knots are constructed by picking a permutation \(\sigma\in S_{2n+1}\) with uniform probability. The author reports on rigorous results and numerical experiments concerning the asymptotic distribution of finite type invariants of random knots in Petaluma model, see also the following [\textit{C. Even-Zohar} et al., Discrete Comput. Geom. 56, No. 2, 274--314 (2016; Zbl 1354.57012)]. The paper concludes with questions about the universality and classification of the various random knot models.

Recommendations

Cites work

Cited in

(30)

Describes a project that uses

Uses Software

This page was built for publication: Models of random knots

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q1659256)