HOMFLY polynomial

The HOMFLY polynomial is also a quantum invariant.

The name HOMFLY combines the initials of its co-discoverers: Jim Hoste, Adrian Ocneanu, Kenneth Millett, Peter J. Freyd, W. B. R. Lickorish, and David N.

[1] The addition of PT recognizes independent work carried out by Józef H. Przytycki and Paweł Traczyk.

[2] The polynomial is defined using skein relations:

are links formed by crossing and smoothing changes on a local region of a link diagram, as indicated in the figure.

can be computed in terms of the HOMFLY polynomial (the version in