Bypasses for rectangular diagrams. Proof of Jones' conjecture and related questions

Ivan Dynnikov, Maxim Prasolov

Published 2012-06-05, updated 2013-03-24Version 2

In the present paper a criteria for a rectangular diagram to admit a simplification is given in terms of Legendrian knots. It is shown that there are two types of simplifications which are mutually independent in a sense. A new proof of the monotonic simplification theorem for the unknot is given. It is shown that a minimal rectangular diagram maximizes the Thurston--Bennequin number for the corresponding Legendrian links. Jones' conjecture about the invariance of the algebraic number of intersections of a minimal braid representing a fixed link type is proved.