Tube-polymer link-statistics conjecture

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Let T=TM1,M2\mathbb T=\mathbb T_{M_1,M_2} be a lattice tube, and let LL be a non-split link embeddable in T\mathbb T. Let pT,n(L)p_{\mathbb T,n}(L) denote the number of nn-edge embeddings of LL in T\mathbb T having at least one vertex in the x=0x=0 plane, and let fLf_L be the number of prime factors of LL. Tube-polymer link-statistics conjecture. There exist constants independent of nn, but potentially dependent on M1M_1, M2M_2, and LL, such that

pT,n(L)=AT,LnαT,L(μT,01)n(1+o(1)),n→∞,p_{\mathbb T,n}(L)=A_{\mathbb T,L}n^{\alpha_{\mathbb T,L}}(\mu_{\mathbb T,0_1})^n(1+o(1)),\qquad n\to\infty,

where αT,01=0\alpha_{\mathbb T,0_1}=0, AT,L>0A_{\mathbb T,L}>0, μT,01>0\mu_{\mathbb T,0_1}>0, and

αT,L=αT,01+fL.\alpha_{\mathbb T,L}=\alpha_{\mathbb T,0_1}+f_L.

This conjecture extends the knot-statistics asymptotics from polygons to arbitrary non-split links in tubes. Numerical evidence supports it for several tube sizes, while the general statement remains open.

References

Primary source

Nicholas R. Beaton, Kai Ishihara, Mahshid Atapour, Jeremy W. Eng, Mariel Vazquez, Koya Shimokawa and Christine E. Soteros, “Entanglement statistics of polymers in a lattice tube and unknotting of 4-plats”, arXiv:2204.06186 (2025).

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