Algebraic and Geometric Topology 5 (2005), paper no. 66, pages 1637-1653.

A Legendrian Thurston-Bennequin bound from Khovanov homology

Lenhard Ng

Abstract. We establish an upper bound for the Thurston-Bennequin number of a Legendrian link using the Khovanov homology of the underlying topological link. This bound is sharp in particular for all alternating links, and knots with nine or fewer crossings.

Keywords. Legendrian link, Thurston-Bennequin number, Khovanov homology, alternating link

AMS subject classification. Primary: 57M27. Secondary: 57R17, 53D12.

E-print: arXiv:math.GT/0508649

DOI: 10.2140/agt.2005.5.1637

Submitted: 16 September 2005. Accepted: 21 November 2005. Published: 25 November 2005.

Notes on file formats

Lenhard Ng
Department of Mathematics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Email: lng@math.stanford.edu
URL: http://alum.mit.edu/www/ng

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