Claspers and finite type invariants of links

Abstract: We introduce the concept of `claspers,' which are surfaces in 3-manifolds with some additional structure on which surgery operations can be performed. Using claspers we define for each positive integer k an equivalence relation on links called `C_k-equivalence,' which is generated by surgery operations of a certain kind called `C_k-moves'. We prove that two knots in the 3-sphere are C_{k+1}-equivalent if and only if they have equal values of Vassiliev-Goussarov invariants of type k with values in any abelian groups. This result gives a characterization in terms of surgery operations of the informations that can be carried by Vassiliev-Goussarov invariants. In the last section we also describe outlines of some applications of claspers to other fields in 3-dimensional topology.

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This landmark paper introduces the theory of claspers. The same theory was independently introduced by \textit{M. N. Gusarov} [St. Petersbg. Math. J. 12, No. 4, 569--604 (2001); translation from Algebra Anal. 12, No. 4, 79--125 (2001; Zbl 0981.57006); C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 329, No. 6, 517--522 (1999: Zbl 0938.57013)], \textit{S. Garoufalidis, M. Goussarov} and \textit{M. Polyak} [Geom. Topol. 5, 75--108 (2001; Zbl 1066.57015)]. Clasper theory serves a number of purposes. First and foremost, it provides a topological counterpart to Jacobi diagrams, explaining their Lie algebra structure in terms of the natural Hopf algebraic structure of a certain category of cobordisms. Secondly, for each positive integer \(n\), claspers provide a natural set of local moves (\(C_n\)-moves) which modify knots while preserving their invariants of type \(\leq n\). Third, claspers provide a convenient graphical language with which to manipulate knotted objects, whose formalism makes various classical arguments (for example the proof that any two links with the same linking matrix are related by \(\Delta\)--moves [\textit{H. Murakami, Y. Nakanishi}, Math. Ann. 284, No. 1, 75--89 (1989; Zbl 0646.57005)]) look very easy. Fourth, claspers give rise to algebraically convenient surgery presentations of knots and of boundary links. This is one of the most important papers in quantum topology.

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