Total Curvatures of Holonomic Links

Abstract

Abstract. A differential geometric characterization of the braid-index of a link is found. After multiplication by 2π, it equals the infimum of the sum of total curvature and total absolute torsion over holonomic representatives of the link.Upper and lower bounds for the infimum of total curvature over holonomic representatives of a link are given in terms of its braid-and bridge-index. Examples showing that these bounds are sharp are constructed.