paper

Does the Jones polynomial detect the unknot?

arXiv:math/0012086

Abstract

We address the question: Does there exist a non-trivial knot with a trivial Jones polynomial? To find such a knot, it is almost certainly sufficient to find a non-trivial braid on four strands in the kernel of the Burau representation. I will describe a computer algorithm to search for such a braid.

12 pages, 3 figures

Does the Jones polynomial detect the unknot? · wovepaper