Amphichiral Knots: Odd Braid Index and Symmetry Classification in the Three-Braid Case

We study how amphichirality of a knot constrains its braid index and, in the smallest nontrivial case, the combinatorics of its braid words. Using the Dynnikov–Prasolov resolution of the Jones conjecture, we show the braid index of an amphichiral knot is odd. This answers, in the negative, a question of Stoimenow on amphichiral knots of even braid index. We then classify prime amphichiral knots of braid index~$3$. Every amphichiral knot of braid index~$3$ is alternating and admits a minimal $3$-braid representative in a standard form encoded by a word~$c$. Building on the Birman–Menasco classification of closed $3$-braids and the Murasugi normal form, we describe a dihedral action on~$c$ under which the mirror and mirror-reverse operations are realized by a rotation and a reflection. For a standard form whose closure is a prime knot of braid index~$3$, this yields a complete criterion: $\widehat{{\beta }_c}$ is amphichiral if and only if $c$ is a palindrome or has odd period, together with a determination of the precise symmetry type in terms of these properties and the presence of a non-degenerate flype.