Knots with unknotting number 1 and essential Conway spheres

DOI10.2140/AGT.2006.6.2051zbMATH Open1129.57009arXivmath/0601265OpenAlexW2158064727MaRDI QIDQ863090FDOQ863090

Authors: John Luecke, Cameron McA. Gordon 

Publication date: 25 January 2007

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

Abstract: For a knot K in S^3, let T(K) be the characteristic toric sub-orbifold of the orbifold (S^3,K) as defined by Bonahon and Siebenmann. If K has unknotting number one, we show that an unknotting arc for K can always be found which is disjoint from T(K), unless either K is an EM-knot (of Eudave-Munoz) or (S^3,K) contains an EM-tangle after cutting along T(K). As a consequence, we describe exactly which large algebraic knots (ie algebraic in the sense of Conway and containing an essential Conway sphere) have unknotting number one and give a practical procedure for deciding this (as well as determining an unknotting crossing). Among the knots up to 11 crossings in Conway's table which are obviously large algebraic by virtue of their description in the Conway notation, we determine which have unknotting number one. Combined with the work of Ozsvath-Szabo, this determines the knots with 10 or fewer crossings that have unknotting number one. We show that an alternating, large algebraic knot with unknotting number one can always be unknotted in an alternating diagram. As part of the above work, we determine the hyperbolic knots in a solid torus which admit a non-integral, toroidal Dehn surgery. Finally, we show that having unknotting number one is invariant under mutation.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0601265

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zbMATH Keywords

mutationalgebraic knotsConway spheresunknotting number 1

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

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Cited In (16)

• The unknotting number and classical invariants. I
• KNOTS WITH UNKNOTTING NUMBER ONE AND GENERALISED CASSON INVARIANT
• Donaldson's theorem, Heegaard Floer homology, and knots with unknotting number one
• Unknotting information from Heegaard Floer homology
• HYPERBOLIC KNOTS WITH THREE TOROIDAL DEHN SURGERIES
• The hexatangle
• Inequivalent genus 2 handlebodies in \(S^ 3\) with homeomorphic complement
• The almost alternating diagrams of the trivial knot
• Conway products and links with multiple bridge surfaces
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• Alternating knots with unknotting number one
• Tangle equations involving Montesinos links
• Knots and surfaces
• Knotted handlebodies and half-integral toroidal surgeries
• Unknotting genus one knots
• The classification of rational subtangle replacements between rational tangles

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