Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 October 2013
We study lens space surgeries along two different families of 2-component links, denoted by ${A}_{m, n} $ and ${B}_{p, q} $, related with the rational homology $4$-ball used in J. Park’s (generalized) rational blow down. We determine which coefficient $r$ of the knotted component of the link yields a lens space by Dehn surgery. The link ${A}_{m, n} $ yields a lens space only by the known surgery with $r= mn$ and unexpectedly with $r= 7$ for $(m, n)= (2, 3)$. On the other hand, ${B}_{p, q} $ yields a lens space by infinitely many $r$. Our main tool for the proof are the Reidemeister-Turaev torsions, that is, Reidemeister torsions with combinatorial Euler structures. Our results can be extended to the links whose Alexander polynomials are same as those of ${A}_{m, n} $ and ${B}_{p, q} $.