A note on applications of the d-invariant and Donaldson's theorem

Abstract

This note contains two remarks about the application of the d-invariant in Heegaard Floer homology and Donaldson's diagonalization theorem to knot theory. The first is the equivalence of two obstructions they give to a 2-bridge knot being smoothly slice. The second carries out a suggestion by Stefan Friedl to replace the use of Heegaard Floer homology by Donaldson's theorem in the proof of the main result of Invent. Math. 192 (2013) no.3 717-750 concerning Conway mutation of alternating links.