Alexander and writhe polynomials for virtual knots

Abstract

We give a new interpretation of the Alexander polynomial [Formula: see text] for virtual knots due to Sawollek [On Alexander–Conway polynomials for virtual knots and Links, preprint (2001), arXiv:math/9912173] and Silver and Williams [Polynomial invariants of virtual links, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 12 (2003) 987–1000], and use it to show that, for any virtual knot, [Formula: see text] determines the writhe polynomial of Cheng and Gao [A polynomial invariant of virtual links, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 22(12) (2013), Article ID: 1341002, 33pp.] (equivalently, Kauffman’s affine index polynomial [An affine index polynomial invariant of virtual knots, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 22(4) (2013), Article ID: 1340007, 30pp.]). We also use it to define a second-order writhe polynomial, and give some applications.