Infinite cyclic cover associated to an epimorphism (${\tilde{X}}_{\alpha },\alpha :{\pi }_1(X)\twoheadrightarrow \mathbb{Z}$)

The connected covering space corresponding to $\ker \alpha$ has deck transformation group $\mathbb{Z}$. Choosing a deck generator makes its integral homology a module over the Laurent polynomial ring $\mathbb{Z}[t,t^{-1}]$.

Given an integral epimorphism $\alpha :{\pi }_1(X)\to \mathbb{Z}$, the Alexander module is the first integral homology of the corresponding infinite cyclic cover associated to an epimorphism, with $t$ acting by its chosen deck transformation. Its order is the greatest common divisor of maximal presentation matrix minors when it is finitely presented and torsion. For the meridional epimorphism of a knot exterior, this is the Alexander module of a knot.