Subject: question on Alexander polynomials of algebraic knots.
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 20:10:47 -0400
From: Laurentiu George Maxim <lmaxim@math.upenn.edu>
To: dmd1@lehigh.edu

Hi,

I want to ask the following question:

Suppose that X is an complex affine hypersurface with an isolated singularity
at the origin and no other singularities. Consider the Milnor fibration of
the associated algebraic knot and its Alexander polynomial (i.e the
characteristic polynomial of the monodromy operator of the fibration).
Let's say X is defined by a polynomial which is neither of Brieskorn type nor
weighted homogeneous. Is there any standard way to calculate the Alexander
polynomial?
Actually I'd be interested to find examples of such polynomials p(t) which
are not associated (i.e differ by a unit) in Q[t,t^{-1}] with the polynomial
p(t^{-1}).
Maybe somebody knows a good reference in the literature?

thanks,
max