A dequantized metaplectic knot invariant

Abstract: Let

K s u b s e t S^{3}

be a knot,

X := S^{3} s e t m i n u s K

its complement, and

m a t h b b T

the circle group identified with

m a t h b b R / m a t h b b Z

. To any oriented long knot diagram of

K

, we associate a quadratic polynomial in variables bijectively associated with the bridges of the diagram such that, when the variables projected to

m a t h b b T

satisfy the linear equations characterizing the first homology group

H_{1} (i l d e X_{2})

of the double cyclic covering of

X

, the polynomial projects down to a well defined

m a t h b b T

-valued function on

T^{1} (i l d e X_{2}, m a t h b b T)

(the dual of the torsion part

T_{1}

of

H_{1}

). This function is sensitive to knot chirality, for example, it seems to confirm chirality of the knot

1 0_{71}

. It also distinguishes the knots

7_{4}

and

9_{2}

known to have identical Alexander polynomials and the knots

9_{2}

and K11n13 known to have identical Jones polynomials but does not distinguish

7_{4}

and K11n13.

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