Knot Floer homology in cyclic branched covers

In this paper, we introduce a sequence of invariants of a knot K in S^3: the knot Floer homology groups of the preimage of K in the m-fold cyclic branched cover over K. We exhibit the knot Floer homology in the m-fold branched cover as the categorification of a multiple of the Turaev torsion in the case where the m-fold branched cover is a rational homology sphere. In addition, when K is a 2-bridge knot, we prove that the knot Floer homology of the lifted knot in a particular Spin^c structure in the branched double cover matches the knot Floer homology of the original knot K in S^3. We conclude with a calculation involving two knots with identical knot Floer homology in S^3 for which the knot Floer homology groups in the double branched cover differ as Z_2-graded groups.Comment: This is the version published by Algebraic & Geometric Topology on 25 September 200

Combinatorial Description of Knot Floer Homology of Cyclic Branched Covers

We introduce a simple combinatorial method for computing all versions of the knot Floer homology of the preimage of a two-bridge knot K(p,q) inside its double-branched cover, -L(p,q). The 4-pointed genus 1 Heegaard diagram we obtain looks like a twisted version of the toroidal grid diagrams recently introduced by Manolescu, Ozsvath, and Sarkar. We conclude with a discussion of how one might obtain nice Heegaard diagrams for cyclic branched covers of more general knots.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures; Minor expositional improvements, typos corrected throughout (most seriously, the x,y coordinates used in discussion of intersection points beginning page 13 of previous version were incorrectly--but consistently--flipped

Sutured Khovanov homology distinguishes braids from other tangles

We show that the sutured Khovanov homology of a balanced tangle in the product sutured manifold D x I has rank 1 if and only if the tangle is isotopic to a braid.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, Definition of sutured annular Khovanov homology in Section 2.1 has significant text overlap with arXiv:1212.2222; Version 2 incorporates referee comments. This is the version accepted for publication in Mathematical Research Letter

On the naturality of the spectral sequence from Khovanov homology to Heegaard Floer homology

Ozsvath and Szabo have established an algebraic relationship, in the form of a spectral sequence, between the reduced Khovanov homology of (the mirror of) a link L in S^3 and the Heegaard Floer homology of its double-branched cover. This relationship has since been recast by the authors as a specific instance of a broader connection between Khovanov- and Heegaard Floer-type homology theories, using a version of Heegaard Floer homology for sutured manifolds developed by Juhasz. In the present work we prove the naturality of the spectral sequence under certain elementary TQFT operations, using a generalization of Juhasz's surface decomposition theorem valid for decomposing surfaces geometrically disjoint from an imbedded framed link.Comment: 36 pages, 13 figure

On Gradings in Khovanov homology and sutured Floer homology

We discuss generalizations of Ozsvath-Szabo's spectral sequence relating Khovanov homology and Heegaard Floer homology, focusing attention on an explicit relationship between natural Z (resp., 1/2 Z) gradings appearing in the two theories. These two gradings have simple representation-theoretic (resp., geometric) interpretations, which we also review.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, to be submitted to Proceedings of Jaco's 70th Birthday Conference, 201

Grid Diagrams and Legendrian Lens Space Links

Grid diagrams encode useful geometric information about knots in S^3. In particular, they can be used to combinatorially define the knot Floer homology of a knot K in S^3, and they have a straightforward connection to Legendrian representatives of K in (S^3, \xi_\st), where \xi_\st is the standard, tight contact structure. The definition of a grid diagram was extended to include a description for links in all lens spaces, resulting in a combinatorial description of the knot Floer homology of a knot K in L(p, q) for all p > 0. In the present article, we explore the connection between lens space grid diagrams and the contact topology of a lens space. Our hope is that an understanding of grid diagrams from this point of view will lead to new approaches to the Berge conjecture, which claims to classify all knots in S^3 upon which surgery yields a lens space.Comment: 27 pages, 20 figure