Polynomial Unknotting and Singularity Index

Abstract

A b s t r a c t . We introduce a new method to transform a knot diagram into a diagram of an unknot using a polynomial representation of the knot. Here the unknotting sequence of a knot diagram with least number of crossing changes can be realized by a family of polynomial maps. The number of singular knots in this family is defined to be the singularity index of the diagram. We show that the singularity index of a diagram is always less than or equal to its unknotting number.