Everywhere Equivalent 3-Braids

A knot (or link) diagram is said to be everywhere equivalent if all the diagrams obtained by switching one crossing represent the same knot (or link). We classify such diagrams of a closed 3-braid

Euclidean Mahler measure and twisted links

If the twist numbers of a collection of oriented alternating link diagrams are bounded, then the Alexander polynomials of the corresponding links have bounded euclidean Mahler measure (see Definition 1.2). The converse assertion does not hold. Similarly, if a collection of oriented link diagrams, not necessarily alternating, have bounded twist numbers, then both the Jones polynomials and a parametrization of the 2-variable Homflypt polynomials of the corresponding links have bounded Mahler measure.Comment: This is the version published by Algebraic & Geometric Topology on 7 April 200

Relationships between braid length and the number of braid strands

For a knot K, let b_n(K) be the minimum length of an n-stranded braid representative of K. Examples of knots exist for which b_n(K) is a non-increasing function. We investigate the behavior of b_n(K). We develop bounds on the function in terms of the genus of K, with stronger results for homogeneous knots and braid positive knots. For knots of nine or fewer crossings, we show that b_n(K) is an increasing function and determine it completely.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures; minor revision

Genus generators and the positivity of the signature

It is a conjecture that the signature of a positive link is bounded below by an increasing function of its negated Euler characteristic. In relation to this conjecture, we apply the generator description for canonical genus to show that the boundedness of the genera of positive knots with given signature can be algorithmically partially decided. We relate this to the result that the set of knots of canonical genus greater than or equal to n is dominated by a finite subset of itself in the sense of Taniyama's partial order.Comment: This is the version published by Algebraic & Geometric Topology on 13 December 200