Plumbers' knots and unstable Vassiliev theory
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Date
2010-06
Authors
Giusti, Chad David, 1978-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
We introduce a new finite-complexity knot theory, the theory of plumbers' knots, as a model for classical knot theory. The spaces of plumbers' curves admit a combinatorial cell structure, which we exploit to algorithmically solve the classification problem for plumbers' knots of a fixed complexity. We describe cellular subdivision maps on the spaces of plumbers' curves which consistently make the spaces of plumbers' knots and their discriminants into directed systems.
In this context, we revisit the construction of the Vassiliev spectral sequence. We construct homotopical resolutions of the discriminants of the spaces of plumbers knots and describe how their cell structures lift to these resolutions. Next, we introduce an inverse system of unstable Vassiliev spectral sequences whose limit includes, on its E ∞ - page, the classical finite-type invariants. Finally, we extend the definition of the Vassiliev derivative to all singularity types of plumbers' curves and use it to construct canonical chain representatives of the resolution of the Alexander dual for any invariant of plumbers' knots.
Description
viii, 57 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
Keywords
Plumbers' knots, Vassiliev derivatives, Finite-complexity knots, Spectral sequences, Alexander dual, Canonical chains, Mathematics, Theoretical mathematics