On the Classification of Legendrian Rational Tangles

Abstract

We show that under certain conditions the flyping operation on rational tangles, which produces topologically isotopic tangles, may also produce tangles which are not Legendrian isotopic when viewed in the standard contact structure on $\mathbb{R}^3$. This work is motivated by questions posed by Traynor, and incorporates techniques inspired by work of Eliashberg and Fraser. The proofs within employ a new method of diagramming rational tangles which is also used to easily describe the characteristic foliations of compressing discs for their complements.