Virtual Knot Diagrams and the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev Invariant

This paper is an introduction to the subject of virtual knot theory, combined with a discussion of some specific new theorems about virtual knots. The new results are as follows: We prove, using a 3-dimensional topology approach that if a connected sum of two virtual knots $K_{1}$ and $K_{2}$ is trivial, then so are both $K_{1}$ and $K_{2}$. We establish an algorithm, using Haken-Matveev technique, for recognizing virtual knots. This paper may be read as both an introduction ...

Both classical and virtual knots arise as formal Gauss diagrams modulo some abstract moves corresponding to Reidemeister moves. If we forget about both over/under crossings structure and writhe numbers of knots modulo the same Reidemeister moves, we get a dramatic simplification of virtual knots, which kills all classical knots. However, many virtual knots survive after this simplification. We construct invariants of these objects and present their applications to minimalit...

In the prequel of this paper, Kauffman and Ogasa introduced new topological quantum invariants of compact oriented 3-manifolds with boundary where the boundary is a disjoint union of two identical surfaces. The invariants are constructed via surgery on manifolds of the form $F \times I$ where $I$ denotes the unit interval. Since virtual knots and links are represented as links in such thickened surfaces, we are able also to construct invariants in terms of virtual link diagra...

For a knot diagram $K$, the classical knot group $\pi_1(K)$ is a free group modulo relations determined by Wirtinger-type relations on the classical crossings. The classical knot group is invariant under the Reidemeister moves. In this paper, we define a set of quotient groups associated to a knot diagram $K$. These quotient groups are invariant under the Reidemeister moves and the set includes the extended knot groups defined by Boden et al and Silver and Williams.

This paper is an introduction to the theory of virtual knots and links and it gives a list of unsolved problems in this subject.

Two welded (respectively virtual) link diagrams are homotopic if one may be transformed into the other by a sequence of extended Reidemeister moves, classical Reidemeister moves, and self crossing changes. In this paper, we extend Milnor's mu and bar mu invariants to welded and virtual links. We conclude this paper with several examples, and compute the mu invariants using the Magnus expansion and Polyak's skein relation for the mu invariants.

This paper gives a polynomial invariant for flat virtual links. In the case of one component, the polynomial specializes to Turaev's virtual string polynomial. We show that Turaev's polynomial has the property that it is non-zero precisely when there is no filamentation of the knot, as described by Hrencecin and Kauffman. Schellhorn has provided a version of filamentations for flat virtual links. Our polynomial has the property that if there is a filamentation, then the polyn...

This paper is a concise introduction to virtual knot theory, coupled with a list of research problems in this field.

It is an open question whether there are Vassiliev invariants that can distinguish an oriented knot from its inverse, i.e., the knot with the opposite orientation. In this article, an example is given for a first order Vassiliev invariant that takes different values on a virtual knot and its inverse. The Vassiliev invariant is derived from the Conway polynomial for virtual knots. Furthermore, it is shown that the zeroth order Vassiliev invariant coming from the Conway polynom...

This paper introduces two virtual knot theory ``analogues'' of a well-known family of invariants for knots in thickened surfaces: the Grishanov-Vassiliev finite-type invariants of order two. The first, called the three loop isotopy invariant, is an invariant of virtual knots while the second, called the three loop framed isotopy invariant, is a regular isotopy invariant of framed virtual knots. The properties of these invariants are investigated at length. In addition, we mak...