Splitting maps in link Floer homology and integer points in permutahedra

Abstract

In this paper, we study the skein exact sequence for links via the exact surgery triangle of link Floer homology and compare it with other skein exact sequences given by Ozsv\'ath and Szab\'o. As an application, we use the skein exact sequence to study the splitting number and splitting maps for links. In particular, we associate the splitting maps for the torus link $T(n, n)$ to integer points in the $(n-1)$-dimensional permutahedron, and obtain the link Floer homology of an $n$-component homology nontrivial unlink in $S^{1}\times S^{2}$.