TYPE-I QUANTUM SUPERALGEBRAS, Q-SUPERTRACE, AND 2-VARIABLE LINK POLYNOMIALS

A new general eigenvalue formula for the eigenvalues of Casimir invari ants, for the type-I quantum superalgebras, is applied to the construc tion of link polynomials associated with any finite dimensional unitar y irrep for these algebras. This affords a systematic construction of new two-variable link polynomials associated with any finite dimension al irrep (with a real highest weight) for the type-I quantum superalge bras. In particular infinite families of nonequivalent two-variable li nk polynomials are determined in fully explicit form. (C) 1996 America n Institute of Physics.