Positive twist knot diagrams minimize the Casson–Vassiliev invariant

Let DD be a connected irreducible positive diagram with odd crossing number, and let v3(D)v_3(D) denote the degree-3 Vassiliev invariant of the diagram. A positive twist knot diagram is a positive diagram obtained from the standard twist-knot construction.

Positive twist-knot minimization conjecture. Positive twist knot diagrams minimize v3v_3 among all connected irreducible positive diagrams with odd crossing number.

The claim proposes that the twist-knot examples giving only quadratic growth of v3v_3 in the crossing number are extremal among such positive diagrams. The source does not provide evidence resolving this minimization problem.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

A. Stoimenow, “Positive knots, closed braids and the Jones polynomial”, arXiv:math/9805078 (2001).

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