Equivariant algebraic concordance of strongly invertible knots

Abstract

By considering a particular type of invariant Seifert surfaces we define a homomorphism $\Phi$ from the (topological) equivariant concordance group of directed strongly invertible knots $\tilde{\mathcal{C}}$ to a new equivariant algebraic concordance group ${\tilde{\mathcal{G}}}^{\mathbb{Z}}$. We prove that $\Phi$ lifts both Miller and Powell's equivariant algebraic concordance homomorphism, and Alfieri and Boyle's equivariant signature. Moreover, we provide a partial result on the isomorphism type of ${\tilde{\mathcal{G}}}^{\mathbb{Z}}$, and we obtain a new obstruction to equivariant sliceness, which can be viewed as an equivariant Fox-Milnor condition. We define new equivariant signatures and using these we obtain novel lower bounds on the equivariant slice genus. Finally, we show that $\Phi$ can obstruct equivariant sliceness for knots with Alexander polynomial one.

43 pages, 8 figures, 1 table. The paper has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Topology