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Abstract We show that there exist split, orientable, 2‐component surface‐links in with non‐isotopic splitting spheres in their complements. In particular, for non‐negative integers with , the unlink consisting of one component of genus and one component of genus contains in its complement two smooth splitting spheres that are not topologically isotopic in . This contrasts with link theory in the classical dimension, as any two splitting spheres in the complement of a 2‐component split link are isotopic in . 

Abstract We automate the process of machine learning correlations between knot invariants. For nearly 200 000 distinct sets of input knot invariants together with an output invariant, we attempt to learn the output invariant by training a neural network on the input invariants. Correlation between invariants is measured by the accuracy of the neural network prediction, and bipartite or tripartite correlations are sequentially filtered from the input invariant sets so that experiments with larger input sets are checking for true multipartite correlation. We rediscover several known relationships between polynomial, homological, and hyperbolic knot invariants, while also finding novel correlations which are not explained by known results in knot theory. These unexplained correlations strengthen previous observations concerning links between Khovanov and knot Floer homology. Our results also point to a new connection between quantum algebraic and hyperbolic invariants, similar to the generalized volume conjecture. 

For every integerg\ge 2we construct 3-dimensional genus-g1-handlebodies smoothly embedded inS^{4}with the same boundary, and which are defined by the same cut systems of their boundary, yet which are not isotopic rel. boundary via any locally flat isotopy even when their interiors are pushed intoB^{5}. This proves a conjecture of Budney–Gabai for genus at least 2. 

We use deep neural networks to machine learn correlations betweenknot invariants in various dimensions. The three-dimensional invariantof interest is the Jones polynomial J(q) J ( q ) ,and the four-dimensional invariants are the Khovanov polynomial \text{Kh}(q,t) Kh ( q , t ) ,smooth slice genus g g ,and Rasmussen’s s s -invariant.We find that a two-layer feed-forward neural network can predict s s from \text{Kh}(q,-q^{-4}) Kh ( q , − q − 4 ) with greater than 99% 99 % accuracy. A theoretical explanation for this performance exists in knottheory via the now disproven knight move conjecture, which is obeyed byall knots in our dataset. More surprisingly, we find similar performancefor the prediction of s s from \text{Kh}(q,-q^{-2}) Kh ( q , − q − 2 ) ,which suggests a novel relationship between the Khovanov and Leehomology theories of a knot. The network predicts g g from \text{Kh}(q,t) Kh ( q , t ) with similarly high accuracy, and we discuss the extent to which themachine is learning s s as opposed to g g ,since there is a general inequality |s| ≤2g | s | ≤ 2 g .The Jones polynomial, as a three-dimensional invariant, is not obviouslyrelated to s s or g g ,but the network achieves greater than 95% 95 % accuracy in predicting either from J(q) J ( q ) .Moreover, similar accuracy can be achieved by evaluating J(q) J ( q ) at roots of unity. This suggests a relationship with SU(2) S U ( 2 ) Chern—Simons theory, and we review the gauge theory construction ofKhovanov homology which may be relevant for explaining the network’sperformance.