Multivariate Alexander colorings

Abstract

We extend the notion of link colorings with values in an Alexander quandle to link colorings with values in a module [Formula: see text] over the Laurent polynomial ring [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] is a diagram of a link [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] components, then the colorings of [Formula: see text] with values in [Formula: see text] form a [Formula: see text]-module [Formula: see text]. Extending a result of Inoue [Knot quandles and infinite cyclic covering spaces, Kodai Math. J. 33 (2010) 116–122], we show that [Formula: see text] is isomorphic to the module of [Formula: see text]-linear maps from the Alexander module of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. In particular, suppose [Formula: see text] is a field and [Formula: see text] is a homomorphism of rings with unity. Then [Formula: see text] defines a [Formula: see text]-module structure on [Formula: see text], which we denote [Formula: see text]. We show that the dimension of [Formula: see text] as a vector space over [Formula: see text] is determined by the images under [Formula: see text] of the elementary ideals of [Formula: see text]. This result applies in the special case of Fox tricolorings, which correspond to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Examples show that even in this special case, the higher Alexander polynomials do not suffice to determine [Formula: see text]; this observation corrects erroneous statements of Inoue [Quandle homomorphisms of knot quandles to Alexander quandles, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 10 (2001) 813–821; op. cit.].