Zeros of Jones Polynomials for Families of Knots and Links

For an oriented virtual link, L.H. Kauffman defined the f-polynomial (Jones polynomial). The supporting genus of a virtual link diagram is the minimal genus of a surface in which the diagram can be embedded. In this paper we show that the span of the f-polynomial of an alternating virtual link L is determined by the number of crossings of any alternating diagram of L and the supporting genus of the diagram. It is a generalization of Kauffman-Murasugi-Thistlethwaite's theorem....

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

We exhibit an infinite family of knots with the property that the first coefficient of the n-colored Jones polynomial grows linearly with n. This shows that the concept of stability and tail seen in the colored Jones polynomials of alternating knots does not generalize naively.

This paper, to be regularly updated, lists those prime knots with the fewest possible number of crossings for which values of basic knot invariants, such as the unknotting number or the smooth 4-genus, are unknown. This list is being developed in conjunction with "KnotInfo" (www.indiana.edu/~knotinfo), a web-based table of knot invariants.

A celebrated result of F. Jaeger states that the Tutte polynomial of a planar graph is determined by the HOMFLY polynomial of an associated link. Here we are interested in the converse of this result. We consider the question `to what extent does the Tutte polynomial determine the HOMFLY polynomial of any knot?' We show that the HOMFLY polynomial of a knot is determined by Tutte polynomials of plane graphs associated to the knot.

This work presents formulas for the Kauffman bracket and Jones polynomials of 3-bridge knots using the structure of Chebyshev knots and their billiard table diagrams. In particular, these give far fewer terms than in the Skein relation expansion. The subject is introduced by considering the easier case of 2-bridge knots, where some geometric interpretation is provided, as well, via combinatorial tiling problems.

We use matchings on Lyndon words to classify flat knots up to 8 crossings. Using flat knots invariants such as the based matrix, the $\phi$-invariant, the flat arrow polynomial, and the flat Jones-Krushkal polynomial, we distinguish all flat knots up to 7 crossings except for five pairs. Among the many flat knots considered, we find examples that are: (i) algebraically slice but not slice; (ii) almost classical (null-homologous) but not slice; (iii) nontrivial but with trivia...

We describe in this talk three methods of constructing different links with the same Jones type invariant. All three can be thought as generalizations of mutation. The first combines the satellite construction with mutation. The second uses the notion of rotant, taken from the graph theory, the third, invented by Jones, transplants into knot theory the idea of the Yang-Baxter equation with the spectral parameter (idea employed by Baxter in the theory of solvable models in sta...

We study the structure of the stable coefficients of the Jones polynomial of an alternating link. We start by identifying the first four stable coefficients with polynomial invariants of a (reduced) Tait graph of the link projection. This leads us to introduce a free polynomial algebra of invariants of graphs whose elements give invariants of alternating links which strictly refine the first four stable coefficients. We conjecture that all stable coefficients are elements of ...

We investigate coincidences of the (one-variable) Jones polynomial amongst rational knots, what we call `Jones rational coincidences'. We provide moves on the continued fraction expansion of the associated rational which we prove do not change the Jones polynomial and conjecture (based on experimental evidence from all rational knots with determinant $<900$) that these moves are sufficient to generate all Jones rational coincidences. These coincidences are generically not mut...