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Thin position for a connected sum of small knots

Student-Run Geometry/Topology Seminar

Speaker: Alice Stevens, UC Davis
Location: 693 Kerr
Start time: Thu, Oct 20 2005, 12:40PM

Yo'av Rieck and Eric Sedgwick showed that every thin position for a connected sum of mp-small knots is obtained by vertically stacking thin positions of the individual summands. The proof involves an analysis of the thin level spheres of the presentation of the knot. I will try to go over as many ideas of the proof as time permits.