The Minimum of Knot Energy Functions
by
Yuanan Diao
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Coauthors: Xingde Dai

In this talk we discuss some fundamental issues regarding knot energy functions. These include the existence of minimum values of energy functions of smooth knots and energy functions of polygonal knots within a knot type, the convergence of these minimum values in the case of polygonal knot energy and the convergence of the corresponding polygons where these minimum values are attained. When the polygonal knot energy is derived from a smooth knot energy, will the minimal polygonal knot energies converge to the infimum of the smooth knot energy? Do the corresponding polygons converge to a smooth knot at which the smooth energy achieves its minimal value? We show that one cannot expect these to be true in general and outline certain conditions that would ensure a positive answer to some of the above questions.

Date received: January 7, 1998