Effective bounds on characterising slopes for all knots (Laura Wakelin)

Laura Wakelin, University of Texas

Event Date
2025-11-21
Event Time
02:30 pm ~ 03:30 pm
Event Location
Swarthmore College, Science Center L26

PATCH Seminar (joint with Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Penn, and Swarthmore)

Abstract: A rational slope p/q is characterising for a knot $K$ if the oriented homeomorphism type of the 3-manifold obtained via $p/q$-surgery on $K$ uniquely determines the knot $K$. I will discuss joint work with Patricia Sorya in which we show that the JSJ decomposition of the exterior of $K$ determines an explicit bound $C(K)$ such that $|q|>C(K)$ guarantees that the slope $p/q$ is characterising for $K$. 

In the introductory talk (at 9:30am, in room 264), we’ll talk about JSJ decompositions of knot exteriors and how they behave under Dehn surgery.