The Khovanov-basicity conjecture for alternating links

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Let LL be a link with cc components. Call LL Khovanov-basic if its Khovanov complex Kh⁡(L)\operatorname{Kh}(L) is homotopy equivalent to a direct sum of basic complexes and exactly 2c−12^{c-1} one-term basic complexes Ω1\Omega_1 occur, where, up to degree and height shifts, Ω1\Omega_1 is the one-term complex whose only nonzero term is a smoothing consisting of a single circle, and Ω2\Omega_2 is the two-term complex whose two nonzero terms are such smoothings and whose differential is the genus-one surface with one circle boundary at the top and one at the bottom. Khovanov-basicity conjecture. Every alternating link is Khovanov-basic. This would provide a structural explanation for the observed Betti-number patterns of alternating links, although the text notes that some links are not Khovanov-basic and does not claim that all links have this property.

References

Primary source

Dror Bar-Natan, “Khovanov's homology for tangles and cobordisms”, arXiv:math/0410495 (2005).

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