The Alexander polynomial of (1,1)-knots

In this paper we investigate the Alexander polynomial of (1,1)-knots, which are knots lying in a 3-manifold with genus one at most, admitting a particular decomposition. More precisely, we study the connections between the Alexander polynomial and a polynomial associated to a cyclic presentation of the fundamental group of an n-fold strongly-cyclic covering branched over the knot, which we call the n-cyclic polynomial. In this way, we generalize to all (1,1)-knots, with the only exception of those lying in S^2\times S^1, a result obtained by J. Minkus for 2-bridge knots and extended by the author and M. Mulazzani to the case of (1,1)-knots in the 3-sphere. As corollaries some properties of the Alexander polynomial of knots in the 3-sphere are extended to the case of (1,1)-knots in lens spaces.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure. A corollary has been extended, and a new example added. Accepted for publication on J. Knot Theory Ramification

All strongly-cyclic branched coverings of (1,1)-knots are Dunwoody manifolds

We show that every strongly-cyclic branched covering of a (1,1)-knot is a Dunwoody manifold. This result, together with the converse statement previously obtained by Grasselli and Mulazzani, proves that the class of Dunwoody manifolds coincides with the class of strongly-cyclic branched coverings of (1,1)-knots. As a consequence, we obtain a parametrization of (1,1)-knots by 4-tuples of integers. Moreover, using a representation of (1,1)-knots by the mapping class group of the twice punctured torus, we provide an algorithm which gives the parametrization of all torus knots.Comment: 22 pages, 19 figures. Revised version with minor changes in Proposition 5. Accepted for publication in the Journal of the London Mathematical Societ

(1,1)-knots via the mapping class group of the twice punctured torus

We develop an algebraic representation for (1,1)-knots using the mapping class group of the twice punctured torus MCG(T,2). We prove that every (1,1)-knot in a lens space L(p,q) can be represented by the composition of an element of a certain rank two free subgroup of MCG(T,2) with a standard element only depending on the ambient space. As a notable examples, we obtain a representation of this type for all torus knots and for all two-bridge knots. Moreover, we give explicit cyclic presentations for the fundamental groups of the cyclic branched coverings of torus knots of type (k,ck+2).Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures. New version with minor changes. Accepted for publication in Advances in Geometr

Representations of (1,1)-knots

We present two different representations of (1,1)-knots and study some connections between them. The first representation is algebraic: every (1,1)-knot is represented by an element of the pure mapping class group of the twice punctured torus. The second representation is parametric: every (1,1)-knot can be represented by a 4-tuple of integer parameters. The strict connection of this representation with the class of Dunwoody manifolds is illustrated. The above representations are explicitly obtained in some interesting cases, including two-bridge knots and torus knots.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures. To appear in Fundamenta Mathematicae, special volume Proceedings of Knots in Poland, vol. I

A Markov theorem for generalized plat decomposition

We prove a Markov theorem for tame links in a connected closed orientable 3-manifold $M$ with respect to a plat-like representation. More precisely, given a genus $g$ Heegaard surface $\Sigma_g$ for $M$ we represent each link in $M$ as the plat closure of a braid in the surface braid group $B_{g,2n}=\pi_1(C_{2n}(\Sigma_g))$ and analyze how to translate the equivalence of links in $M$ under ambient isotopy into an algebraic equivalence in $B_{g,2n}$. First, we study the equivalence problem in $\Sigma_g\times [0,1]$, and then, to obtain the equivalence in $M$, we investigate how isotopies corresponding to "sliding" along meridian discs change the braid representative. At the end we provide explicit constructions for Heegaard genus 1 manifolds, i.e. lens spaces and $S^2\times S^1$.Comment: Acknowledgements added. Accepted for publication on Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa Cl. Sc

Extending homeomorphisms from punctured surfaces to handlebodies

Let $\textup{H}_g$ be a genus $g$ handlebody and $\textup{MCG}_{2n}(\textup{T}_g)$ be the group of the isotopy classes of orientation preserving homeomorphisms of $\textup{T}_g=\partial\textup{H}_g$, fixing a given set of $2n$ points. In this paper we find a finite set of generators for $\mathcal{E}_{2n}^g$, the subgroup of $\textup{MCG}_{2n}(\textup{T}_g)$ consisting of the isotopy classes of homeomorphisms of $\textup{T}_g$ admitting an extension to the handlebody and keeping fixed the union of $n$ disjoint properly embedded trivial arcs. This result generalizes a previous one obtained by the authors for $n=1$. The subgroup $\mathcal{E}_{2n}^g$ turns out to be important for the study of knots and links in closed 3-manifolds via $(g,n)$-decompositions. In fact, the links represented by the isotopy classes belonging to the same left cosets of $\mathcal{E}_{2n}^g$ in $\textup{MCG}_{2n}(\textup{T}_g)$ are equivalent.Comment: We correct the statements of Theorem 9 and 10, by adding missing generators, and improve the statement of Theorem 10, by removing some redundant generator

Knot quandle decompositions

We show that the fundamental quandle defines a functor from the oriented tangle category to a suitably defined quandle category. Given a tangle decomposition of a link $L$, the fundamental quandle of $L$ may be obtained from the fundamental quandles of tangles. We apply this result to derive a presentation of the fundamental quandle of periodic links, composite knots and satellite knots.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figure

Extending homeomorphisms from 2-punctured surfaces to handlebodies

Let F a closed connected orientable surface bounding a genus g handlebody H. In this paper we find a finite set of generators for the subgroup E(2,g) of the pure mapping class group of the twice punctured torus PMCG(2,g), consisting of the isotopy classes of homeomorphisms of F which admit an extension to H keeping a properly embedded trivial arc fixed. This subgroup turns out to be important for the study of knots in closed 3-manifolds via (g,1)-decomposition. In fact, the knots represented by the isotopy classes belonging to the same left cosets of E(2,g) in PMCG(2,g) are equivalent.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Strongly-cyclic branched coverings of (1,1)-knots and cyclic presentations of groups

We study the connections among the mapping class group of the twice punctured torus, the cyclic branched coverings of (1,1)-knots and the cyclic presentations of groups. We give the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the n-fold strongly-cyclic branched coverings of (1,1)-knots, through the elements of the mapping class group. We prove that every n-fold strongly-cyclic branched covering of a (1,1)-knot admits a cyclic presentation for the fundamental group, arising from a Heegaard splitting of genus n. Moreover, we give an algorithm to produce the cyclic presentation and illustrate it in the case of cyclic branched coverings of torus knots of type (k,hk+1) and (k,hk-1).Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures. to appear in the Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Societ