Maximal Thurston-Bennequin number: Difference between revisions
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The Thurston-Bennequin number, usually denoted <math>tb</math>, is an invariant of nullhomologous Legendrian knots in contact manifolds, and in particular Legendrian knots in <math>{\mathbf R}^3</math> with the standard contact structure. It is a classical result of {{ref|Bennequin}} that <math>tb</math> is bounded above for Legendrian knots in any given topological knot type in <math>{\mathbf R}^3</math>. The maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of a smooth knot is the largest value of <math>tb</math> among all Legendrian representatives of the knot. |
The Thurston-Bennequin number, usually denoted <math>tb</math>, is an invariant of nullhomologous Legendrian knots in contact manifolds, and in particular Legendrian knots in <math>{\mathbf R}^3</math> with the standard contact structure. It is a classical result of {{ref|Bennequin}} that <math>tb</math> is bounded above for Legendrian knots in any given topological knot type in <math>{\mathbf R}^3</math>. The maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of a smooth knot is the largest value of <math>tb</math> among all Legendrian representatives of the knot. |
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Here is a quick combinatorial definition of maximal Thurston-Bennequin number. Define a |
Here is a quick combinatorial definition of maximal Thurston-Bennequin number. Define a ''rectilinear front diagram'' to be a knot diagram composed of only horizontal and vertical line segments, such that at any crossing, the horizontal segment lies over the vertical segment. To any rectilinear front diagram <math>F</math>, one can associate two integers: the writhe <math>w(F)</math>, defined as for any diagram by counting the number of crossings with signs (<math>+1</math> for <math>(\overcrossing)</math> and <math>-1</math> for <math>(\undercrossing)</math>), and the cusp number <math>c(F)</math>, defined to be the number of locally upper-right corners of <math>F</math>. Next define the Thurston-Bennequin number <math>tb(F)</math> to be <math>w(F)-c(F)</math>. Finally, the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of a knot is the maximal value of <math>tb(F)</math> over all rectilinear front diagrams <math>F</math> in the knot type. |
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[[Image:RHtrefoil-rectilinear.gif]] |
[[Image:RHtrefoil-rectilinear.gif|center]] |
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For example, the rectilinear front diagram in the figure, which is a right-handed trefoil, has <math>w=3</math>, <math>c=2</math>, and <math>tb=1</math>. In fact, the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of the right-handed trefoil is <math>1</math>. |
For example, the rectilinear front diagram in the figure, which is a right-handed trefoil, has <math>w=3</math>, <math>c=2</math>, and <math>tb=1</math>. In fact, the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of the right-handed trefoil is <math>1</math>. |
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Revision as of 05:05, 3 November 2005
The Thurston-Bennequin number, usually denoted Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle tb} , is an invariant of nullhomologous Legendrian knots in contact manifolds, and in particular Legendrian knots in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle {\mathbf R}^3} with the standard contact structure. It is a classical result of [Bennequin] that is bounded above for Legendrian knots in any given topological knot type in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle {\mathbf R}^3} . The maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of a smooth knot is the largest value of Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle tb} among all Legendrian representatives of the knot.
Here is a quick combinatorial definition of maximal Thurston-Bennequin number. Define a rectilinear front diagram to be a knot diagram composed of only horizontal and vertical line segments, such that at any crossing, the horizontal segment lies over the vertical segment. To any rectilinear front diagram Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F} , one can associate two integers: the writhe Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle w(F)} , defined as for any diagram by counting the number of crossings with signs (Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle +1} for Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle (\overcrossing)} and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle -1} for Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle (\undercrossing)} ), and the cusp number Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c(F)} , defined to be the number of locally upper-right corners of Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F} . Next define the Thurston-Bennequin number Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle tb(F)} to be Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle w(F)-c(F)} . Finally, the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of a knot is the maximal value of Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle tb(F)} over all rectilinear front diagrams Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle F} in the knot type.
For example, the rectilinear front diagram in the figure, which is a right-handed trefoil, has Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle w=3} , Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle c=2} , and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle tb=1} . In fact, the maximal Thurston-Bennequin number of the right-handed trefoil is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 1} .
In the Knot Atlas, maximal Thurston-Bennequin number is given as Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle [a][b]} , where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle a} and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle b} are the maximal Thurston-Bennequin numbers of the knot and its mirror, respectively.
[Bennequin] ^ D. Bennequin, Entrelacements et équations de Pfaff, Astérisque 107-108 (1983) 87-161.
