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Signature Of A Knot
The signature of a knot is a topological invariant in knot theory. It may be computed from the Seifert surface. Given a knot ''K'' in the 3-sphere, it has a Seifert surface ''S'' whose boundary is ''K''. The Seifert form of ''S'' is the pairing \phi : H_1(S) \times H_1(S) \to \mathbb Z given by taking the linking number \operatorname(a^+,b^-) where a, b \in H_1(S) and a^+, b^- indicate the translates of ''a'' and ''b'' respectively in the positive and negative directions of the normal bundle to ''S''. Given a basis b_1,...,b_ for H_1(S) (where ''g'' is the genus of the surface) the Seifert form can be represented as a ''2g''-by-''2g'' Seifert matrix ''V'', V_=\phi(b_i,b_j). The signature of the matrix V+V^t, thought of as a symmetric bilinear form, is the signature of the knot ''K''. Slice knots are known to have zero signature. The Alexander module formulation Knot signatures can also be defined in terms of the Alexander module of the knot complement. Let X be the universa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Topological Invariant
In topology and related areas of mathematics, a topological property or topological invariant is a property of a topological space that is invariant under homeomorphisms. Alternatively, a topological property is a proper class of topological spaces which is closed under homeomorphisms. That is, a property of spaces is a topological property if whenever a space ''X'' possesses that property every space homeomorphic to ''X'' possesses that property. Informally, a topological property is a property of the space that can be expressed using open sets. A common problem in topology is to decide whether two topological spaces are homeomorphic or not. To prove that two spaces are ''not'' homeomorphic, it is sufficient to find a topological property which is not shared by them. Properties of topological properties A property P is: * Hereditary, if for every topological space (X, \mathcal) and X' \subset X, the subspace (X', \mathcal, X') has property P. * Weakly hereditary, if for every ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Symmetric Bilinear Form
In mathematics, a symmetric bilinear form on a vector space is a bilinear map from two copies of the vector space to the field of scalars such that the order of the two vectors does not affect the value of the map. In other words, it is a bilinear function B that maps every pair (u,v) of elements of the vector space V to the underlying field such that B(u,v)=B(v,u) for every u and v in V. They are also referred to more briefly as just symmetric forms when "bilinear" is understood. Symmetric bilinear forms on finite-dimensional vector spaces precisely correspond to symmetric matrices given a basis for ''V''. Among bilinear forms, the symmetric ones are important because they are the ones for which the vector space admits a particularly simple kind of basis known as an orthogonal basis (at least when the characteristic of the field is not 2). Given a symmetric bilinear form ''B'', the function is the associated quadratic form on the vector space. Moreover, if the characteristic of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Link Concordance
In mathematics, two links L_0 \subset S^n and L_1 \subset S^n are concordant if there exists an embedding f : L_0 \times ,1\to S^n \times ,1/math> such that f(L_0 \times \) = L_0 \times \ and f(L_0 \times \) = L_1 \times \. By its nature, link concordance is an equivalence relation. It is weaker than isotopy, and stronger than homotopy: isotopy implies concordance implies homotopy. A link is a slice link if it is concordant to the unlink. Concordance invariants A function of a link that is invariant under concordance is called a concordance invariant. The linking number of any two components of a link is one of the most elementary concordance invariants. The signature of a knot is also a concordance invariant. A subtler concordance invariant are the Milnor invariants, and in fact all rational finite type concordance invariants are Milnor invariants and their products, though non-finite type concordance invariants exist. Higher dimensions One can analogously define ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slice Knot
A slice knot is a mathematical knot in 3-dimensional space that bounds an embedded disk in 4-dimensional space. Definition A knot K \subset S^3 is said to be a topologically or smoothly slice knot, if it is the boundary of an embedded disk in the 4-ball B^4, which is locally flat or smooth, respectively. Here we use S^3 = \partial B^4: the 3-sphere S^3 = \ is the boundary of the four-dimensional ball B^4 = \. Every smoothly slice knot is topologically slice because a smoothly embedded disk is locally flat. Usually, smoothly slice knots are also just called slice. Both types of slice knots are important in 3- and 4-dimensional topology. Smoothly slice knots are often illustrated using knots diagrams of ribbon knots and it is an open question whether there are any smoothly slice knots which are not ribbon knots (′Slice-ribbon conjecture′). Cone construction The conditions locally-flat or smooth are essential in the definition: For every knot we can construct the cone o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Poincaré Duality
In mathematics, the Poincaré duality theorem, named after Henri Poincaré, is a basic result on the structure of the homology and cohomology groups of manifolds. It states that if ''M'' is an ''n''-dimensional oriented closed manifold (compact and without boundary), then the ''k''th cohomology group of ''M'' is isomorphic to the (n-k)th homology group of ''M'', for all integers ''k'' :H^k(M) \cong H_(M). Poincaré duality holds for any coefficient ring, so long as one has taken an orientation with respect to that coefficient ring; in particular, since every manifold has a unique orientation mod 2, Poincaré duality holds mod 2 without any assumption of orientation. History A form of Poincaré duality was first stated, without proof, by Henri Poincaré in 1893. It was stated in terms of Betti numbers: The ''k''th and (n-k)th Betti numbers of a closed (i.e., compact and without boundary) orientable ''n''-manifold are equal. The ''cohomology'' concept was at that time about 40 y ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homology Group
In mathematics, homology is a general way of associating a sequence of algebraic objects, such as abelian groups or modules, with other mathematical objects such as topological spaces. Homology groups were originally defined in algebraic topology. Similar constructions are available in a wide variety of other contexts, such as abstract algebra, groups, Lie algebras, Galois theory, and algebraic geometry. The original motivation for defining homology groups was the observation that two shapes can be distinguished by examining their holes. For instance, a circle is not a disk because the circle has a hole through it while the disk is solid, and the ordinary sphere is not a circle because the sphere encloses a two-dimensional hole while the circle encloses a one-dimensional hole. However, because a hole is "not there", it is not immediately obvious how to define a hole or how to distinguish different kinds of holes. Homology was originally a rigorous mathematical method for defi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander Polynomial
In mathematics, the Alexander polynomial is a knot invariant which assigns a polynomial with integer coefficients to each knot type. James Waddell Alexander II discovered this, the first knot polynomial, in 1923. In 1969, John Conway showed a version of this polynomial, now called the Alexander–Conway polynomial, could be computed using a skein relation, although its significance was not realized until the discovery of the Jones polynomial in 1984. Soon after Conway's reworking of the Alexander polynomial, it was realized that a similar skein relation was exhibited in Alexander's paper on his polynomial. Definition Let ''K'' be a knot in the 3-sphere. Let ''X'' be the infinite cyclic cover of the knot complement of ''K''. This covering can be obtained by cutting the knot complement along a Seifert surface of ''K'' and gluing together infinitely many copies of the resulting manifold with boundary in a cyclic manner. There is a covering transformation ''t'' acting on ''X''. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slice Knot
A slice knot is a mathematical knot in 3-dimensional space that bounds an embedded disk in 4-dimensional space. Definition A knot K \subset S^3 is said to be a topologically or smoothly slice knot, if it is the boundary of an embedded disk in the 4-ball B^4, which is locally flat or smooth, respectively. Here we use S^3 = \partial B^4: the 3-sphere S^3 = \ is the boundary of the four-dimensional ball B^4 = \. Every smoothly slice knot is topologically slice because a smoothly embedded disk is locally flat. Usually, smoothly slice knots are also just called slice. Both types of slice knots are important in 3- and 4-dimensional topology. Smoothly slice knots are often illustrated using knots diagrams of ribbon knots and it is an open question whether there are any smoothly slice knots which are not ribbon knots (′Slice-ribbon conjecture′). Cone construction The conditions locally-flat or smooth are essential in the definition: For every knot we can construct the cone o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seifert Matrix
In mathematics, a Seifert surface (named after German mathematician Herbert Seifert) is an orientable surface whose boundary is a given knot or link. Such surfaces can be used to study the properties of the associated knot or link. For example, many knot invariants are most easily calculated using a Seifert surface. Seifert surfaces are also interesting in their own right, and the subject of considerable research. Specifically, let ''L'' be a tame oriented knot or link in Euclidean 3-space (or in the 3-sphere). A Seifert surface is a compact, connected, oriented surface ''S'' embedded in 3-space whose boundary is ''L'' such that the orientation on ''L'' is just the induced orientation from ''S''. Note that any compact, connected, oriented surface with nonempty boundary in Euclidean 3-space is the Seifert surface associated to its boundary link. A single knot or link can have many different inequivalent Seifert surfaces. A Seifert surface must be oriented. It is possible to ass ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Knot Theory
In the mathematical field of topology, knot theory is the study of knot (mathematics), mathematical knots. While inspired by knots which appear in daily life, such as those in shoelaces and rope, a mathematical knot differs in that the ends are joined so it cannot be undone, Unknot, the simplest knot being a ring (or "unknot"). In mathematical language, a knot is an embedding of a circle in 3-dimensional Euclidean space, \mathbb^3 (in topology, a circle is not bound to the classical geometric concept, but to all of its homeomorphisms). Two mathematical knots are equivalent if one can be transformed into the other via a deformation of \mathbb^3 upon itself (known as an ambient isotopy); these transformations correspond to manipulations of a knotted string that do not involve cutting it or passing through itself. Knots can be described in various ways. Using different description methods, there may be more than one description of the same knot. For example, a common method of descr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Normal Bundle
In differential geometry, a field of mathematics, a normal bundle is a particular kind of vector bundle, complementary to the tangent bundle, and coming from an embedding (or immersion). Definition Riemannian manifold Let (M,g) be a Riemannian manifold, and S \subset M a Riemannian submanifold. Define, for a given p \in S, a vector n \in \mathrm_p M to be ''normal'' to S whenever g(n,v)=0 for all v\in \mathrm_p S (so that n is orthogonal to \mathrm_p S). The set \mathrm_p S of all such n is then called the ''normal space'' to S at p. Just as the total space of the tangent bundle to a manifold is constructed from all tangent spaces to the manifold, the total space of the normal bundle \mathrm S to S is defined as :\mathrmS := \coprod_ \mathrm_p S. The conormal bundle is defined as the dual bundle to the normal bundle. It can be realised naturally as a sub-bundle of the cotangent bundle. General definition More abstractly, given an immersion i: N \to M (for instance an embeddin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linking Number
In mathematics, the linking number is a numerical invariant that describes the linking of two closed curves in three-dimensional space. Intuitively, the linking number represents the number of times that each curve winds around the other. In Euclidean space, the linking number is always an integer, but may be positive or negative depending on the orientation of the two curves (this is not true for curves in most 3-manifolds, where linking numbers can also be fractions or just not exist at all). The linking number was introduced by Gauss in the form of the linking integral. It is an important object of study in knot theory, algebraic topology, and differential geometry, and has numerous applications in mathematics and science, including quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and the study of DNA supercoiling. Definition Any two closed curves in space, if allowed to pass through themselves but not each other, can be moved into exactly one of the following standard positions. Thi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
