Noncommutative knot theory

DOI10.2140/AGT.2004.4.347MaRDI QIDQ1880636zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Publication date 30 September 2004

Published in Algebraic \& Geometric Topology (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0206258, https://eudml.org/doc/124676, http://www.emis.de/journals/UW/agt/AGTVol4/agt-4-19.abs.html

zbMATH Keywords

Arf invariant higher order Alexander module higher order Alexander polynomial knot invariant

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Derived series, central series, and generalizations for groups (20F14)

Abstract: The classical abelian invariants of a knot are the Alexander module, which is the first homology group of the the unique infinite cyclic covering space of S^3-K, considered as a module over the (commutative) Laurent polynomial ring, and the Blanchfield linking pairing defined on this module. From the perspective of the knot group, G, these invariants reflect the structure of G^(1)/G^(2) as a module over G/G^(1) (here G^(n) is the n-th term of the derived series of G). Hence any phenomenon associated to G^(2) is invisible to abelian invariants. This paper begins the systematic study of invariants associated to solvable covering spaces of knot exteriors, in particular the study of what we call the n-th higher-order Alexander module, G^(n+1)/G^(n+2), considered as a Z[G/G^(n+1)$-module. We show that these modules share almost all of the properties of the classical Alexander module. They are torsion modules with higher-order Alexander polynomials whose degrees give lower bounds for the knot genus. The modules have presentation matrices derived either from a group presentation or from a Seifert surface. They admit higher-order linking forms exhibiting self-duality. There are applications to estimating knot genus and to detecting fibered, prime and alternating knots. There are also surprising applications to detecting symplectic structures on 4-manifolds. These modules are similar to but different from those considered by the author, Kent Orr and Peter Teichner and are special cases of the modules considered subsequently by Shelly Harvey for arbitrary 3-manifolds.

Review text

The aim of this paper is to introduce new invariants for knots, which are higher order analogs of the classical Alexander module and Alexander polynomial. Given a knot $K$ in $S^3$, let $G$ be its knot group, and for $n\geq 0$ let $G^{(n+1)}$ be the $(n+1)$-st term in the derived series of $G$. The $n$-th integral Alexander module $\mathcal A_n^{\mathbb Z}(K)$ is defined as $G^{(n+1)}/G^{(n+2)}$, viewed as a right module over the ring $\mathbb Z[G/G^{(n+1)}]$. For $n>0$, this ring is non-commutative, non-Noetherian and not an UFD in general, which a priori makes handling these modules difficult. In spite of these problems, the author shows that these modules lead to effective invariants with applications to estimating knot genus, detecting fibered, prime, and alternating knots, and producing new obstructions to the existence of symplectic structures on certain four manifolds. To deal with modules over $\mathbb Z[G/G^{(n+1)}]$, the author uses the theory of poly-(torsion-free abelian) groups. Via a localized version $\mathcal A_n(K)$ of $\mathcal A_n^{\mathbb Z}(K)$, he introduces the $n$-th order Alexander polynomial. While the indeterminacy in this polynomial makes it difficult to handle, its degree is a well defined numerical knot invariant $\delta_n(K)$. This generalizes the classical Alexander module and Alexander polynomial, which is obtained for $n=0$. The fundamental result for most of the applications discussed in the paper is then that for a non-trivial knot $K$ and each $n>0$, one has $\delta_0(K)\leq\delta_1(K)+1\leq\dots\leq\delta_n(K)+1\leq 2\cdot\text{genus}(K)$. If $K$ is fibered or alternating or if the $0$-surgery $M_K$ at $K$ has the property that $S^1\times M_K$ admits a symplectic structure, then all these inequalities have to be equalities. An important part of the paper is devoted to a construction for modifications of a knot, called genetic infection, whose influence on the higher order Alexander module can be well controlled. For a knot $K$ with non-trivial classical Alexander polynomial, this leads to families of modifications, whose effect on $\mathcal A_n^{\mathbb Z}$ and on $\mathcal A_n$ can be controlled very well. In particular, one obtains modifications for which some of the above inequalities become proper. Finally, the author also studies higher order bordism invariants generalizing the Arf invariant, higher order von Neumann signatures of knots, and higher order generalizations of the Blanchfield linking forms.

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