Nontrivial delta move finite type invariants detect unknotting number
Let be the finite type group associated with delta moves, and let be the filtration arising in its finite generation. A knot has unknotting number if it can be transformed into the unknot by one crossing change.
Delta move finite type invariant conjecture. For some , we have
Therefore, there exists a nontrivial delta move finite type invariant that vanishes on knots of unknotting number . Thus, delta move finite type invariants yield nontrivial lower bounds for unknotting number.
Explicitly computing these groups and determining whether the filtration is nontrivial are active problems; the conjecture would provide finite type lower bounds for unknotting number.
References
Primary source
Cole Hugelmeyer, “Diagram Systems and Generalized Finite Type Theories”, arXiv:2307.07661 (2023).
Progress summary
Nothing recorded yet. Refresh searches the literature and the public web for attempts on this problem, and writes the first summary here.
Solutions 0
No solutions have been posted yet.