arXiv subjects

Patricia Cahn

Publications and source records attributed to Patricia Cahn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Decompositions and diagrams of symplectic surfaces in Weinstein domains

We introduce combinatorial and diagrammatic methods for representing properly embedded symplectic surfaces in 4-dimensional Weinstein domains. We show that positive ascending surfaces, which include complex curves in Stein domains and multisections of Lefschetz fibrations, can be placed in bridge position with respect to Islambouli--Starkston's bisection-with-divides structure on the Weinstein domain. We algorithmically relate various decompositions of such surfaces, including transverse banded unlink diagrams, quasipositive factorizations, bridge bisections with divides, shadow diagrams (curves on surfaces), and pointed monodromy factorizations. We also develop a new way to present branched covers of Weinstein domains along positive ascending surfaces, which, combined with work of Loi--Piergallini, recovers Islambouli--Starkston's result that every compact Weinstein domain admits a bisection with divides.

math.GT↗

arXiv2025

Pseudo-Legendrian and Legendrian Simplicity of Links in 3-Manifolds

We construct infinite families of non-simple isotopy classes of links in overtwisted contact structures on $S^1$-bundles over surfaces. These examples include: (1) a pair of Legendrian links that are not Legendrian isotopic, but which are isotopic as framed links, homotopic as Legendrian immersed multi-curves, and have Legendrian-isotopic components and (2) a pair of Legendrian links that are not Legendrian isotopic, but are isotopic as framed links, homotopic as Legendrian immersed multi-curves, and which are link-homotopic as Legendrian links. Moreover, we construct examples showing that both of these non-simplicity phenomena can occur in the same smooth isotopy class. To construct these examples, we develop the theory of links transverse to a nowhere-zero vector field in a 3-manifold, and construct analogous examples in the category of links transverse to a vector field.

math.GT↗

arXiv2024

Rep-Tiles

An $n$-dimensional rep-tile is a compact, connected submanifold of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with non-empty interior which can be decomposed into pairwise isometric rescaled copies of itself whose interiors are disjoint. We show that every smooth compact $n$-dimensional submanifold of $\mathbb{R}^n$ with connected boundary is topologically isotopic to a polycube that tiles the $n$-cube, and hence is topologically isotopic to a rep-tile. It follows that there is a rep-tile in the homotopy type of any finite CW complex. In addition to classifying rep-tiles in all dimensions up to isotopy, we also give new explicit constructions of rep-tiles, namely examples in the homotopy type of any finite bouquet of spheres.

math.GT↗

arXiv2023

Algorithms for Computing Invariants of Trisected Branched Covers

We give diagrammatic algorithms for computing the group trisection, homology groups, and intersection form of a closed, orientable, smooth 4-manifold, presented as a branched cover of a bridge-trisected surface in $\mathbb{S}^{4}$. The algorithm takes as input a tri-plane diagram, labelled with permutations according to the Wirtinger relations. We apply our algorithm to several examples, including dihedral and cyclic covers of spun knots, cyclic covers of Suciu's ribbon knots with the trefoil knot group, and an infinite family of irregular covers of the Stevedore disk double. As an application, we give a fully automated algorithm for computing Kjuchukova's homotopy-ribbon obstruction for a $p$-colorable knot, given an extension of that coloring over a ribbon surface in the 4-ball.

math.GT↗

arXiv2023

Linking in Cyclic Branched Covers and Satellite (non)-Homomorphisms

Let $K\subset S^3$ be a knot and $η, γ\subset S^3\backslash K$ be simple closed curves. Denote by $Σ_q(K)$ the $q$-fold cyclic branched cover of $K$. We give an explicit formula for computing the linking numbers between lifts of $η$ and $γ$ to $Σ_q(K)$. As an application, we evaluate, in a variety of cases, an obstruction to satellite operations inducing homomorphisms on smooth concordance.

math.GT↗

arXiv2021

Dihedral Linking Invariants

A Fox p-colored knot $K$ in $S^3$ gives rise to a corresponding $p$-fold dihedral branched cover $M$ of $S^3$ along $K$. The pre-image of the knot $K$ under the covering map is a $\dfrac{p+1}{2}$-component link $L$ in $M$, and the set of pairwise linking numbers of the components of $L$ is an invariant of $K$. This powerful invariant played a key role in the development of early knot tables, and appears in formulas for many other important knot and manifold invariants. We give an algorithm for computing this invariant for all odd $p$, generalizing an algorithm of Perko. We then extend this algorithm to compute linking numbers of arbitrary curves in a $p$-fold dihedral branched cover of $S^3$ along $K$. As an application, we compute Kjuchukova's ribbon obstruction $\Xi_p$ using a method of the first author and Kjuchukova. We also tabulate the dihedral linking invariant for all $p$-colorings of prime knots of crossing number less than or equal to 13, with $p\geq 3$ prime. Finally, we demonstrate the strength of the dihedral linking invariant by comparing it to several polynomial invariants. For example, the dihedral linking invariant distinguishes more than 98% of the 1183 prime non-mutant knot pairs with the same Fox coloring invariant and the same HOMFLY-PT polynomial through 13 crossings.

math.GT↗

arXiv2020

Linking Numbers in Three-Manifolds

Let $M$ be a connected, closed, oriented three-manifold and $K$, $L$ two rationally null-homologous oriented simple closed curves in $M$. We give an explicit algorithm for computing the linking number between $K$ and $L$ in terms of a presentation of $M$ as an irregular dihedral $3$-fold cover of $S^3$ branched along a knot $α\subset S^3$. Since every closed, oriented three-manifold admits such a presentation, our results apply to all (well-defined) linking numbers in all three-manifolds. Furthermore, ribbon obstructions for a knot $α$ can be derived from dihedral covers of $α$. The linking numbers we compute are necessary for evaluating one such obstruction. This work is a step toward testing potential counter-examples to the Slice-Ribbon Conjecture, among other applications.

math.GT↗

arXiv2020

The Dihedral Genus of a Knot

Let $K\subset S^3$ be a Fox $p$-colored knot and assume $K$ bounds a locally flat surface $S\subset B^4$ over which the given $p$-coloring extends. This coloring of $S$ induces a dihedral branched cover $X\to S^4$. Its branching set is a closed surface embedded in $S^4$ locally flatly away from one singularity whose link is $K$. When $S$ is homotopy ribbon and $X$ a definite four-manifold, a condition relating the signature of $X$ and the Murasugi signature of $K$ guarantees that $S$ in fact realizes the four-genus of $K$. We exhibit an infinite family of knots $K_m$ with this property, each with a {Fox 3-}colored surface of minimal genus $m$. As a consequence, we classify the signatures of manifolds $X$ which arise as dihedral covers of $S^4$ in the above sense.

math.GT↗

arXiv2020

Computing Ribbon Obstructions for Colored Knots

Kjuchukova's $Ξ_p$ invariant gives a ribbon obstruction for Fox $p$-colored knots. The invariant is derived from dihedral branched covers of 4-manifolds, and is needed to calculate the signatures of these covers, when singularities on the branching sets are present. In this note, we give an algorithm for evaluating $Ξ_p$ from a colored knot diagram, and compute a couple of examples.

math.GT↗

arXiv2019

A note on three-fold branched covers of $S^4$

We show that any 4-manifold admitting a $(g;k_1,k_2,0)$-trisection is an irregular 3-fold cover of the 4-sphere whose branching set is a surface in $S^4$, smoothly embedded except for one singular point which is the cone on a link. A 4-manifold admits such a trisection if and only if it has a handle decomposition with no 1-handles; it is conjectured that all simply-connected 4-manifolds have this property.

math.GT↗

arXiv2019

Loose Legendrian and Pseudo-Legendrian Knots in 3-Manifolds

We prove a complete classification theorem for loose Legendrian knots in an oriented 3-manifold, generalizing results of Dymara and Ding-Geiges. Our approach is to classify knots in a $3$-manifold $M$ that are transverse to a nowhere-zero vector field $V$ up to the corresponding isotopy relation. Such knots are called $V$-transverse. A framed isotopy class is simple if any two $V$-transverse knots in that class which are homotopic through $V$-transverse immersions are $V$-transverse isotopic. We show that all knot types in $M$ are simple if any one of the following three conditions hold: $1.$ $M$ is closed, irreducible and atoroidal; or $2.$ the Euler class of the $2$-bundle $V^{\perp}$ orthogonal to $V$ is a torsion class, or $3.$ if $V$ is a coorienting vector field of a tight contact structure. Finally, we construct examples of pairs of homotopic knot types such that one is simple and one is not. As a consequence of the $h$-principle for Legendrian immersions, we also construct knot types which are not Legendrian simple.

math.GT↗

arXiv2017

Singular branched covers of four-manifolds

Consider a dihedral cover $f: Y\to X$ with $X$ and $Y$ four-manifolds and $f$ branched along an oriented surface embedded in $X$ with isolated cone singularities. We prove that only a slice knot can arise as the unique singularity on an irregular dihedral cover $f: Y\to S^4$ if $Y$ is homotopy equivalent to $\mathbb{CP}^2$ and construct an explicit infinite family of such covers with $Y$ diffeomorphic to $\mathbb{CP}^2$. An obstruction to a knot being homotopically ribbon arises in this setting, and we describe a class of potential counter-examples to the Slice-Ribbon Conjecture. Our tools include lifting a trisection of a singularly embedded surface in a four-manifold $X$ to obtain a trisection of the corresponding irregular dihedral branched cover of $X$, when such a cover exists. We also develop a combinatorial procedure to compute, using a formula by the second author, the contribution to the signature of the covering manifold which results from the presence of a singularity on the branching set.

math.GT↗

arXiv2016

Mapping class group orbits of curves with self-intersections

We study mapping class group orbits of homotopy and isotopy classes of curves with self-intersections. We exhibit the asymptotics of the number of such orbits of curves with a bounded number of self-intersections, as the complexity of the surface tends to infinity. We also consider the minimal genus of a subsurface that contains the curve. We determine the asymptotic number of orbits of curves with a fixed minimal genus and a bounded self-intersection number, as the complexity of the surface tends to infinity. As a corollary of our methods, we obtain that most curves that are homotopic are also isotopic. Furthermore, using a theorem by Basmajian, we get a bound on the number of mapping class group orbits on a given a hyperbolic surface that can contain short curves. For a fixed length, this bound is polynomial in the signature of the surface. The arguments we use are based on counting embeddings of ribbon graphs.

math.GT↗

arXiv2015

Unfolding Smooth Prismatoids

We define a notion for unfolding smooth, ruled surfaces, and prove that every smooth prismatoid (the convex hull of two smooth curves lying in parallel planes), has a nonoverlapping "volcano unfolding." These unfoldings keep the base intact, unfold the sides outward, splayed around the base, and attach the top to the tip of some side rib. Our result answers a question for smooth prismatoids whose analog for polyhedral prismatoids remains unsolved.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2015

Deformation and Extension of Fibrations of Spheres by Great Circles

In a 1983 paper with Frank Warner, we proved that the space of all great circle fibrations of the 3-sphere S^3 deformation retracts to the subspace of Hopf fibrations, and so has the homotopy type of a pair of disjoint two-spheres. Since that time, no generalization of this result to higher dimensions has been found, and so we narrow our sights here and show that in an infinitesimal sense explained below, the space of all smooth oriented great circle fibrations of the 2n+1 sphere S^(2n+1) deformation retracts to its subspace of Hopf fibrations. The tools gathered to prove this also serve to show that every germ of a smooth great circle fibration of S^(2n+1) extends to such a fibration of all of S^(2n+1), a result previously known only for S^3 .

math.GT↗

arXiv2014

A Generalization of Turaev's Virtual String Cobracket

In a previous paper, we defined an operation $μ$ that generalizes Turaev's cobracket for loops on a surface. We showed that, in contrast to the cobracket, this operation gives a formula for the minimum number of self-intersections of a loop in a given free homotopy class. In this paper we consider the corresponding question for virtual strings. We show that $μ$ gives a bound on the minimal self-intersection number of a virtual string which is stronger than a bound given by Turaev's virtual string cobracket. We use Turaev's based matrices to describe strings $α$ such that $μ$ gives a formula for the minimal self-intersection number $α$. We also construct an example that shows the bound on the minimal self-intersection number given by $μ$ is sometimes stronger than the bound $ρ$ given by Turaev's based matrix invariant.

math.GT↗

arXiv2014

The number of framings of a knot in a 3-manifold

In view of the self-linking invariant, the number $|K|$ of framed knots in $S^3$ with given underlying knot $K$ is infinite. In fact, the second author previously defined affine self-linking invariants and used them to show that $|K|$ is infinite for every knot in an orientable manifold unless the manifold contains a connected sum factor of $S^1\times S^2$; the knot $K$ need not be zero-homologous and the manifold is not required to be compact. We show that when $M$ is orientable, the number $|K|$ is infinite unless $K$ intersects a non-separating sphere at exactly one point, in which case $|K|=2$; the existence of a non-separating sphere implies that $M$ contains a connected sum factor of $S^1\times S^2$. For knots in nonorientable manifolds we show that if $|K|$ is finite, then $K$ is disorienting, or there is an isotopy from the knot to itself which changes the orientation of its normal bundle, or it intersects some embedded $S^2$ or $\mathbb R P^2$ at exactly one point, or it intersects some embedded $S^2$ at exactly two points in such a way that a closed curve consisting of an arc in $K$ between the intersection points and an arc in $S^2$ is disorienting.

math.GT↗

arXiv2013

Vassiliev Invariants of Virtual Legendrian Knots

We introduce a theory of virtual Legendrian knots. A virtual Legendrian knot is a cooriented wavefront on an oriented surface up to Legendrian isotopy of its lift to the unit cotangent bundle and stabilization and destablization of the surface away from the wavefront. We show that the groups of Vassiliev invariants of virtual Legendrian knots and of virtual framed knots are isomorphic. In particular, Vassiliev invariants cannot be used to distinguish virtual Legendrian knots that are isotopic as virtual framed knots and have equal virtual Maslov numbers.

math.GT↗