Bridge and pants complexities of knots

Abstract

We modify an approach of Johnson to define the distance of a bridge splitting of a knot in a 3-manifold using the dual curve complex and pants complex of the bridge surface. This distance can be used to determine a complexity, which becomes constant after a sufficient number of stabilizations and perturbations, yielding an invariant of the manifold-knot pair. We also give evidence toward the relationship between the pants distance of a bridge splitting and the hyperbolic volume of the exterior of a knot.