Linking Numbers in Three-Manifolds

Let $M$ be a connected, closed, oriented three-manifold and $K$, $L$ two rationally null-homologous oriented simple closed curves in $M$. We give an explicit algorithm for computing the linking number between $K$ and $L$ in terms of a presentation of $M$ as an irregular dihedral $3$-fold cover of $S^3$ branched along a knot $\alpha \subset S^3$. Since every closed, oriented three-manifold admits such a presentation, our results apply to all (well-defined) linking numbers in all three-manifolds. Furthermore, ribbon obstructions for a knot $\alpha$ can be derived from dihedral covers of $\alpha$. The linking numbers we compute are necessary for evaluating one such obstruction. This work is a step toward testing potential counter-examples to the Slice-Ribbon Conjecture, among other applications.