Vanishing of higher order Alexander‐type invariants of plane curves

Abstract

AbstractThe higher order degrees are Alexander‐type invariants of complements to an affine plane curve. In this paper, we characterize the vanishing of such invariants for a curve C given as a transversal union of plane curves and in terms of the finiteness and the vanishing properties of the invariants of and , and whether or not they are irreducible. As a consequence, we prove that the multivariable Alexander polynomial is a power of , and we characterize when in terms of the defining equations of and . Our results impose obstructions on the class of groups that can be realized as fundamental groups of complements of a transversal union of curves.