An introduction to knot theory /

This volume is an introduction to mathematical Knot Theory; the theory of knots and links of simple closed curves in three-dimensional space. It consists of a selection of topics which graduate students have found to be a successful introduction to the field. Three distinct techniques are employed;...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lickorish, W. B. Raymond
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: New York : Springer, [1997]
Series:Graduate texts in mathematics ; 175.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Table of Contents:
  • A beginning for Knot Theory
  • Seifert surfaces and knot factorization
  • The Jones polynomial
  • Geometry of alternating links
  • The Jones polynomial of an alternating link
  • The Alexander polynomial
  • Covering spaces
  • The Conway polynomial, signatures and slice knots
  • Cylic branched covers and the Goeritz matrix
  • The Arf invariant and the Jones polynomial
  • The fundamental group
  • Obtaining three-manifolds by surgery on S3
  • Three-manifold invariants from the Jones polynomial
  • Methods for calculating quantum invariants
  • Generalizations of the Jones polynomial
  • Exploring the HOMFLY and Kauffman polynomials.