USA Topology Seminar
Symmetry of twisted Alexander polynomials
Dan Silver, University of South Alabama
Details
Friday, April 10, 2009
ILB 430
3:00-4:00 pm
Abstract
Classical Alexander polynomials of knots are well-known to be reciprocal (i.e., the coefficients form a palindromic sequence). In this joint work with Jonathan Hillman and Susan Williams, we show that there exists a 12-crossing ribbon knot and irreducible SL(3,Z) representation of its group such that the twisted Alexander polynomial is non-reciprocal. This provides a negative answer to a question of Teruaki Kitano.