The coefficient-sign conjecture for cable knots of the figure-eight knot

Let 41\bm{4_1} denote the figure-eight knot, and consider the cable knots

Kr=C(r,2)(41)S3,K_r=C_{(r,2)}(\bm{4_1})\subseteq S^3,

where r>8r>8 is odd and the Alexander polynomial is monic. Write the invariant as

FKr(x,q)=12m1\m odd(xm/2xm/2)fm(q).F_{K_r}(x,q)=\frac12\sum_{\substack{m\ge1\m\ \operatorname{odd}}}(x^{m/2}-x^{-m/2})f_m(q).

Let {fm(q)}\{f_m(q)\} be partitioned into disjoint subsets {ft+(q)}tI+\{f_t^+(q)\}_{t\in I^+} and {fw(q)}wI\{f_w^-(q)\}_{w\in I^-}. Coefficient-sign conjecture. The first subset consists of elements with all positive coefficients, the second of elements with all negative coefficients, and each fw(q)f_w^-(q) has coefficients agreeing up to sign with an element of the positive subset. This conjectures a uniform sign classification and coefficient correspondence for the BPS-series coefficients of this cable-knot family; the source gives no resolution status.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

John Chae, “A Cable Knot and BPS-Series”, arXiv:2101.11708 (2023).

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