Diagram Systems and Generalized Finite Type Theories

Abstract

We present a category theoretical generalization of the Goussarov theorem for finite type invariants, relating generating sets for generalized finite type theories with diagrams systems for the corresponding topological objects. We will demonstrate this correspondence through a few examples including the standard finite type theory and its relationship with clasp diagrams, the finite type theory of delta moves and a new diagram system called looms, and the finite type theory of combinatorial structures we call virtual transverse knots. The finite type theory of delta moves may have applications to unknotting number, and the theory of virtual transverse knots leads to many interesting and difficult conjectures.