arXiv subjects

Sam Nelson

Publications and source records attributed to Sam Nelson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Twisted virtual biracks and their twisted virtual link invariants

A virtual link can be understood as a link in a trivial I-bundle over an orientable compact surface with genus. A twisted virtual link is a link in a trivial I-bundle over a not-necessarily orientable compact surface. A twisted virtual birack is an algebraic structure with axioms derived from the twisted virtual Reidemeister moves. We extend a method previously used with racks and biracks to the twisted case to define computable invariants of twisted virtual links using finite twisted virtual biracks with birack rank $N\ge 1$. As an application, we classify twist structures on the virtual Hopf link.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

Polynomial knot and link invariants from the virtual biquandle

The Alexander biquandle of a virtual knot or link is a module over a 2-variable Laurent polynomial ring which is an invariant of virtual knots and links. The elementary ideals of this module are then invariants of virtual isotopy which determine both the generalized Alexander polynomial (also known as the Sawollek polynomial) for virtual knots and the classical Alexander polynomial for classical knots. For a fixed monomial ordering $<$, the Gröbner bases for these ideals are computable, comparable invariants which fully determine the elementary ideals and which generalize and unify the classical and generalized Alexander polynomials. We provide examples to illustrate the usefulness of these invariants and propose questions for future work.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

Birack Dynamical Cocycles and Homomorphism Invariants

Biracks are algebraic structures related to knots and links. We define a new enhancement of the birack counting invariant for oriented classical and virtual knots and links via algebraic structures called birack dynamical cocycles. The new invariants can also be understood in terms of partitions of the set of birack labelings of a link diagram determined by a homomorphism $p:X\to Y$ between finite labeling biracks. We provide examples to show that the new invariant is stronger than the unenhanced birack counting invariant and examine connections with other knot and link invariants.

math.GT↗

arXiv2012

Virtual shadow modules and their link invariants

We introduce an algebra Z[X,S] associated to a pair (X,S) of a virtual birack X and X-shadow S. We use modules over Z[X,S] to define enhancements of the virtual birack shadow counting invariant, extending the birack shadow module invariants to virtual case. We repeat this construction for the twisted virtual case. As applications, we show that the new invariants can detect orientation reversal and are not determined by the knot group, the Arrow polynomial and the Miyazawa polynomial, and that the twisted version is not determined by the twisted Jones polynomial.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

Enhancements of the rack counting invariant via N-reduced dynamical cocycles

We introduce the notion of N-reduced dynamical cocycles and use these objects to define enhancements of the rack counting invariant for classical and virtual knots and links. We provide examples to show that the new invariants are not determined by the rack counting invariant, the Jones polynomial or the generalized Alexander polynomial.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

Birack shadow modules and their link invariants

We introduce an associative algebra Z[X,S] associated to a birack shadow and define enhancements of the birack counting invariant for classical knots and links via representations of Z[X,S] known as shadow modules. We provide examples which demonstrate that the shadow module enhanced invariants are not determined by the Alexander polynomial or the unenhanced birack counting invariants.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

N-Degeneracy in rack homology and link invariants

The aim of this paper is to define a homology theory for racks with finite rank N and use it to define invariants of knots generalizing the CJKLS 2-cocycle invariants related to the invariants defined in [15]. For this purpose, we prove that N -degenerate chains form a sub-complex of the classical complex defining rack homology. If a rack has rack rank N = 1 then it is a quandle and our homology theory coincides with the CKJLS homology theory [6]. Nontrivial cocycles are used to define invariants of knots and examples of calculations for classical knots with up to 8 crossings and classical links with up to 7 crossings are provided.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

(t,s)-racks and their link invariants

A (t,s)-rack is a rack structure defined on a module over the ring $\ddotΛ=\mathbb{Z}[t^{\pm 1},s]/(s^2-(1-t)s)$. We identify necessary and sufficient conditions for two $(t,s)$-racks to be isomorphic. We define enhancements of the rack counting invariant using the structure of (t,s)-racks and give some computations and examples. As an application, we use these enhanced invariants to obtain obstructions to knot ordering.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

Kei modules and unoriented link invariants

We define invariants of unoriented knots and links by enhancing the integral kei counting invariant Phi_X^Z (K) for a finite kei X using representations of the kei algebra, Z_K[X], a quotient of the quandle algebra Z[X] defined by Andruskiewitsch and Grana. We give an example that demonstrates that the enhanced invariant is stronger than the unenhanced kei counting invariant. As an application, we use a quandle module over the Takasaki kei on Z_3 which is not a Z_K[X]-module to detect the non-invertibility of a virtual knot.

math.GT↗

arXiv2011

Bikei, Involutory Biracks and unoriented link invariants

We identify a subcategory of biracks which define counting invariants of unoriented links, which we call involutory biracks. In particular, involutory biracks of birack rank N=1 are biquandles, which we call bikei. We define counting invariants of unoriented classical and virtual links using finite involutory biracks, and we give an example of a non-involutory birack whose counting invariant detects the non-invertibility of a virtual knot.

math.GT↗

arXiv2010

Link invariants from finite biracks

A birack is an algebraic structure with axioms encoding the blackboard-framed Reidemeister moves, incorporating quandles, racks, strong biquandles and semiquandles as special cases. In this paper we extend the counting invariant for finite racks to the case of finite biracks. We introduce a family of biracks generalizing Alexander quandles, $(t,s)$-racks, Alexander biquandles and Silver-Williams switches, known as $(τ,σ,ρ)$-biracks. We consider enhancements of the counting invariant using writhe vectors, image subbiracks, and birack polynomials.

math.GT↗

arXiv2010

Rack Module Enhancements of Counting Invariants

We introduce a modified rack algebra Z[X] for racks X with finite rack rank N. We use representations of Z[X] into rings, known as rack modules, to define enhancements of the rack counting invariant for classical and virtual knots and links. We provide computations and examples to show that the new invariants are strictly stronger than the unenhanced counting invariant and are not determined by the Jones or Alexander polynomials.

math.GT↗

arXiv2010

The column group and its link invariants

The column group is a subgroup of the symmetric group on the elements of a finite blackboard birack generated by the column permutations in the birack matrix. We use subgroups of the column group associated to birack homomorphisms to define an enhancement of the integral birack counting invariant and give examples which show that the enhanced invariant is stronger than the unenhanced invariant.

math.GT↗

arXiv2010

Rack shadows and their invariants

A rack shadow is a set X with a rack action by a rack R, analogous to a vector space over a field. We use shadow colorings of classical link diagrams to define enhanced rack counting invariants and show that the enhanced invariants are stronger than unenhanced counting invariants.

math.GT↗

arXiv2009

Semiquandles and flat virtual knots

We introduce an algebraic structure we call semiquandles whose axioms are derived from flat Reidemeister moves. Finite semiquandles have associated counting invariants and enhanced invariants defined for flat virtual knots and links. We also introduce singular semiquandles and virtual singular semiquandles which define invariants of flat singular virtual knots and links. As an application, we use semiquandle invariants to compare two Vassiliev invariants.

math.GT↗

arXiv2009

Generalized quandle polynomials

We define a family of generalizations of the two-variable quandle polynomial. These polynomial invariants generalize in a natural way to eight-variable polynomial invariants of finite biquandles. We use these polynomials to define a family of link invariants which further generalize the quandle counting invariant.

math.QA↗

arXiv2008

On rack polynomials

We study rack polynomials and the link invariants they define. We show that constant action racks are classified by their generalized rack polynomials and show that $ns^at^a$-quandles are not classified by their generalized quandle polynomials. We use subrack polynomials to define enhanced rack counting invariants, generalizing the quandle polynomial invariants.

math.GT↗

arXiv2008

Link invariants from finite Coxeter racks

We study Coxeter racks over $\mathbb{Z}_n$ and the knot and link invariants they define. We exploit the module structure of these racks to enhance the rack counting invariants and give examples showing that these enhanced invariants are stronger than the unenhanced rack counting invariants.

math.GT↗