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University Park
Altoona

Friday, March 06, 2009
4:00 pm, 260 Hawthorn

Keiko Kawamuro
Rice University

Transverse knots via braids.

Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss several topics related to transverse knots. I will introduce a conjecture on the maximal self-linking number of a topological knot in the standard contact 3-sphere. I will show how to apply braid theory, the HOMFLY polynomial, and the Khovanov-Rozansky homology in order to address the conjecture. I will further discuss the computation of the self-linking number using open-book decomposition and its application to contact geometry.

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We meet weekly on Friday afternoons at Penn State Altoona (and sometimes at Penn State University Park). If you are interested in giving a talk in our seminar please contact one of the coordinators for the Spring 2009 semester: Wojtek Dorabiala and Aissa Wade.

 

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