Knots, operads, and double loop spaces

Abstract

We show that the space of long knots in an Euclidean space of dimension larger than three is a double loop space, proving a conjecture by Sinha. We also construct a double loop space structure on framed long knots, and show that the map forgetting the framing is not a double loop map in odd dimension. However, there is always such a map in the reverse direction expressing the double loop space of framed long knots as a semidirect product. A similar compatible decomposition holds for the homotopy fiber of the inclusion of long knots into immersions. We also show via string topology that the space of closed knots in a sphere, suitably desuspended, admits an action of the little 2-discs operad in the category of spectra. A fundamental tool is the McClure-Smith cosimplicial machinery, that produces double loop spaces out of topological operads with multiplication.