Negative amphichiral knots and the half-Conway polynomial

DOI10.4171/RMI/1442arXiv2206.03598OpenAlexW4385623293MaRDI QIDQ6401404FDOQ6401404

Authors: Keegan Boyle, Wenzhao Chen 

Publication date: 7 June 2022

Abstract: In 1979, Hartley and Kawauchi proved that the Conway polynomial of a strongly negative amphichiral knot factors as $f(z)f(-z)$. In this paper, we normalize the factor $f(z)$ to define the half-Conway polynomial. First, we prove that the half-Conway polynomial satisfies an equivariant skein relation, giving the first feasible computational method, which we use to compute the half-Conway polynomial for knots with 12 or fewer crossings. This skein relation also leads to a diagrammatic interpretation of the degree-one coefficient, from which we obtain a lower bound on the equivariant unknotting number. Second, we completely characterize polynomials arising as half-Conway polynomials of knots in $S^3$, answering a problem of Hartley-Kawauchi. As a special case, we construct the first examples of non-slice strongly negative amphichiral knots with determinant one, answering a question of Manolescu. The double branched covers of these knots provide potentially non-trivial torsion elements in the homology cobordism group.

Full work available at URL: https://doi.org/10.4171/rmi/1442

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Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Knot polynomials (57K14) Knot theory (57K10)

Cited In (2)

• Equivariantly slicing strongly negative amphichiral knots
• A note on rationally slice knots

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