Ribbon graphs and bialgebra of Lagrangian subspaces

Abstract

To each ribbon graph we assign a so-called L-space, which is a Lagrangian subspace in an even-dimensional vector space with the standard symplectic form. This invariant generalizes the notion of the intersection matrix of a chord diagram. Moreover, the actions of Morse perestroikas (or taking a partial dual) and Vassiliev moves on ribbon graphs are reinterpreted nicely in the language of L-spaces, becoming changes of bases in this vector space. Finally, we define a bialgebra structure on the span of L-spaces, which is analogous to the 4-bialgebra structure on chord diagrams.

21 pages, 13 figures. v2: major revision, Sec 2 and 3 completely rewritten; v3: minor corrections. Final version, to appear in Journal of Knot Theory and its Ramifications