Let Knots be the abelian monoid of isotopy classes of knots S1 ⊂ S3 under connected sum, and let C be the topological knot concordance group of knots modulo slice knots. Cochran-Orr-Teichner [COT03] defined a filtration of C: C ⊃ F(0) ⊃ F(0.5) ⊃ F(1) ⊃ F(1.5) ⊃ F(2) ⊃ . . .The quotient C/F(0.5) is isomorphic to Levine’s algebraic concordance group AC1 [Lev69]; F(0.5) is the algebraically slice knots. The quotient C/F(1.5) contains all metabelian concordance obstructions. The Cochran-Orr-Teichner (1.5)-level two stage obstructions map the concordance class of a knot to a pointed set (COT (C/1.5),U). We define an abelian monoid of chain complexes P, with a monoid homomorphism Knots → P. We then define an algebraic concordance equivalence relation on P and therefore a group AC2 := P/ ~, our second order algebraic knot concordance group. The results of this thesis can be summarised in the following diagram: . That is, we define a group homomorphism C → AC2 which factors through C/F(1.5). We can extract the two stage Cochran-Orr-Teichner obstruction theory from AC2: the dotted arrows are morphisms of pointed sets. Our second order algebraic knot concordance group AC2 is a single stage obstruction group.

We review the current state on the thermodynamic behavior and structural phases of self- and mutually-attractive dilute semiflexible polymers that undergo temperature-driven transitions. In extreme dilution, polymers may be considered isolated, and this single polymer undergoes a collapse or folding transition depending on the internal structure. This may go as far as to stable knot phases. Adding polymers results in aggregation, where structural motifs again depend on the internal structure. We discuss in detail the effect of semiflexibility on the collapse and aggregation transition and provide perspectives for interesting future investigations.

本文以 B-Spline 的框架研究比較兩種不同的節點估計方法。第一種方法是通過最優化特定 的目標函數並結合相對應的選擇標準選擇出最優化的節點組合。第二種方法則基於幾何控制多 邊形的特性將內部節點的選擇過程與幾何圖形聯繫起來,省去了最優化的過程。另外,本文採 用『節點估計時間』與『誤差平方和』(Mean Squared Error)來評價兩種方法的估計結果。通 過分析各種不同模擬數據下兩種方法的表現情況,本文的主要發現是:第一,無論哪種資料, 第二種方法在計算速度上都是大幅領先第一種方法。第二,在數據資料較小的情況下,第一種 方法中由 Lindstrom 提出的算法並不能很好的配飾模型,最後的估計誤差較大。而在數據資料 較多的情形下,誤差與其他方法較為接近。第三,第一種方法中沒有懲罰項的算法在所有驗證 過的數據中,其表現是所有方法中最穩定且估計誤差最小的。這些發現為如何選擇恰當的節點 估計方法提供了很具價值的參考信息 / This study compares two different methods of knot selection for B-Spline. The first one chooses the best knots through optimizing specific objective functions and corresponding crite- rion. Based on some properties of geometric control polygon, the second one connects the knot selection process with geometric figures, which avoids the tedious optimization. On the other hand, we use the time for estimation and the mean squared error to evaluate the performance of these two methods. There are three main findings of this study. The first finding is that the calculation speed of second method is much higher than that of the first one. Secondly, the algorithm proposed by Lindstrom in the first method is not stable and its estimation error is larger when the sample size is small. On the contrary, the performance of the algorithm proposed by Lindstrom becomes better as the sample size increases. Thirdly, the performance of the algorithm without penalty term in the first method is always better than the second method.

[pt] Nesse trabalho apresentamos os nós legendreanos numa variedade M de dimensão 3 destacando as estruturas de contato canõnicas em R3 e T3. Para o primeiro caso estudamos os invariantes clássicos: Números de Thurston-Bennequin e Maslov. No segundo caso o número de Maslov é facilmente estendido para esse contexto, mas para o número de Thurston-Bennequin existe uma dificuldade em defini-lo, pois T3 não é simplesmente conexo. Apresentamos uma definição desse invariante para os nós lineares legendreanos em T3, seguindo um trabalho de Y. Kanda / [en] In this work we study legendrian knots in a 3-manifold M, with emphasis on the canonical contact structures in R3 and T3. For the first case we will study the classic invariants: of Thurston-Bennequin and Maslov numbers. The Maslov number is easily extended to T3, but it is difficult to define the Thurston-Bennequin number, because T3 is not simply connected. We present a definition of that invariant for the linear legendrian knots in T3 following a paper of Y. Kanda.

Thesis advisor: Julia E. Grigsby / "Ozsváth, Stipsicz and Szabó define a one-parameter family {ϒᴋ(t)}t∈[₀,₂] of Heegaard Floer knot invariants for knots K ⊂ S³ . We generalize ϒᴋ (t) to knots in any" "rational homology sphere. We study the ϒ−invariant of a fibered knot. We prove that the ϒ−invariant can never reach its minimum slope if the monodromy of the fibration is not right-veering. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Mathematics.

Topological Data Analysis is a quickly expanding field but one particular subfield, multidimensional persistence, has hit a dead end. Although TDA is a very active field, it has been proven that the one-dimensional persistence used in persistent homology cannot be generalized to higher dimensions. With this in mind, progress can still be made in the accuracy of approximating it. The central challenge lies in the multiple persistence parameters. Using more than one parameter at a time creates a multi-filtration of the data which cannot be totally ordered in the way that a single filtration can. The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the development of persistence heat maps by replacing the persistent betti number function (PBN) defined by Xia and Wei in 2015 with a new persistence summary function, the accumulated persistence function (APF) defined by Biscio and Moller in 2016. The PBN function fails to capture persistence in most cases and thus their heat maps lack important information. The APF, on the other hand, does capture persistence that can be seen in their heat maps. A heat map is a way to visually describe three dimensions with two spatial dimensions and color. In two-dimensional persistence heat maps, the two chosen parameters lie on the x- and y- axes. These persistence parameters define a complex on the data, and its topology is represented by the color. We use the method of heat maps introduced by Xia and Wei. We acquired an R script from Matthew Pietrosanu to generate our own heat maps with the second parameter being curvature threshold. We also use the accumulated persistence function introduced by Biscio and Moller, who provided an R script to compute the APF on a data set. We then wrote new code, building from the existing codes, to create a modified heat map. In all the examples in this thesis, we show both the old PBN and the new APF heat maps to illustrate their differences and similarities. We study the two-dimensional heat maps with respect to curvature applied to two types of parameterized knots, Lissajous knots and torus knots. We also show how both heat maps can be used to compare and contrast data sets. This research is important because the persistence heat map acts as a guide for finding topologically significant features as the data changes with respect to two parameters. Improving the accuracy of the heat map ultimately improves the efficiency of data analysis. Two-dimensional persistence has practical applications in analyses of data coming from proteins and DNA. The unfolding of proteins offers a second parameter of configuration over time, while tangled DNA may have a second parameter of curvature. The concluding argument of this thesis is that using the accumulated persistence function in conjunction with the persistent betti number function provides a more accurate representation of two-dimensional persistence than the PBN heat map alone.

This thesis will take a look at a branch of topology called knot theory. We will first look at what started the study of this field, classical knot theory. Knot invariants such as the Bracket polynomial and the Jones polynomial will be introduced and studied. We will then explore racks and biracks along with the axioms obtained from the Reidemeister moves. We will then move on to generalize classical knot theory to what is now known as virtual knot theory which was first introduced by Louis Kauffman. Finally, we take a look at a newer aspect of knot theory, twisted virtual knot theory and we defined new link invariants for twisted virtual biracks.

The problem of finding an efficient algorithm to create a two-dimensional embedding of a knot diagram is not an easy one. Typically, knots with a large number of crossings will not nicely generate two-dimensional drawings. This thesis presents an efficient algorithm to generate a knot and to create a nice two-dimensional embedding of the knot. For the purpose of this thesis a drawing is “nice” if the number of tangles in the diagram consisting of half-twists is minimal. More specifically, the algorithm generates prime, alternating Conway algebraic knots in O(n) time where n is the number of crossings in the knot, and it derives a precise representation of the knot’s nice drawing in O(n) time (The rendering of the drawing is not O(n).). Central to the algorithm is a special type of rooted binary tree which represents a distinct prime, alternating Conway algebraic knot. Each leaf in the tree represents a crossing in the knot. The algorithm first generates the tree and then modifies such a tree repeatedly to reduce the number of its leaves while ensuring that the knot type associated with the tree is not modified. The result of the algorithm is a tree (for the knot) with a minimum number of leaves. This minimum tree is the basis of deriving a 4-regular plane map which represents the knot embedding and to finally draw the knot’s diagram.

In this thesis, we define a new invariant of a Legendrian knot in a contact manifold using an open book decomposition supporting the contact structure. We define the support genus of a Legendrian knot L in a contact 3-manifold as the minimal genus of a page of an open book of M supporting the contact structure such that L sits on a page and the framings given by the contact structure and the page agree. For any topological link in 3-sphere we construct a planar open book decomposition whose monodromy is a product of positive Dehn twists such that the planar open book contains the link on its page. Using this, we show any topological link, in particular any knot in any 3-manifold M sits on a page of a planar open book decomposition of M and we show any null-homologous loose Legendrian knot in an overtwisted contact structure has support genus zero.

This dissertation is on a study of 2-string free tangle decompositions of knots with tunnel number two. As an application, we construct infinitely many counter-examples to a conjecture in the literature stating that the tunnel number of the connected sum of prime knots doesn't degenerate by more than one: t(K_1#K_2)≥ t(K_1)+t(K_2)-1, for K_1 and K_2 prime knots. We also study 2-string free tangle decompositions of links with tunnel number two and obtain an equivalent statement to the one on knots. Further observations on tunnel number and essential tangle decompositions are also made. / text