Week of February 8 - 12, 1999
Statistical Mechanics Seminar Wednesday 2:00 Jadwin 343
Topic: An algebra of integral operators and correlation functions February 10
of interacting electron gas
Presenter: Vladimir Korepin, SUNY, Stony Brook
Colloquium Wednesday 4:30 Fine 314
Topic: Asymptotic Aspects in Geometric Functional Analysis February 10
Presenter: Nicole Tomczak-Jaegermann, University of Alberta
Abstract: We shall present several directions in which close connections can be found between the geometry and
linear-metric structure of infinite-dimensional Banach spaces and finite-dimensional phenomena. The geometry of convex
bodies in $R^n$ has a fundamental influence on structural phenomena in random quotients of the corresponding normed
spaces; and this in turn can be used in infinite-dimensional constructions with various non-local properties.
Ergodic Theory & Statistical Mechanics Thursday 2:00 Fine 401
Topic: Pointwise Theorems for Amenable Groups February 11
Presenter: Elon Lindenstrauss, Hebrew University
Abstract: The classical ergodic theory deals with measure preserving Z actions. Since the 50's, it has become
increasingly clear that most of the results of the classical ergodic theory can be extended to actions of amenable groups,
i.e. groups for which there exists an invariant mean.
Somewhat surprisingly, two of the basic theorems of ergodic theory, the pointwise ergodic theorem and the
Shannon-McMillan Breiman theorem were not known for general amenable groups. I will describe a proof of these two
theorems for actions of discrete groups (these techniques should work also in more general contexts).
Combinatorics & Representation Theory Seminar Thursday 3:00 Fine 214
Topic: Down-up algebras February 11
Presenter: G. Benkart, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Abstract: Down-up algebras originated in the study of differential posets. These algebras exhibit many remarkable
features and many interesting connections with enveloping algebras of Lie algebras, Weyl algebras, quantum groups, and
Witten's deformations of the enveloping algebra of sl(2). This talk will focus on their combinatorial origins,
representations, and structure.
Topology Seminar Thursday 4:00 Fine 314
Topic: TBA February 11
Presenter: Sergio Fenley, Princeton University
Special Seminar Friday 11:00 Fine 322
Topic: Random Matrix Ensembles with General Beta February 12
Presenter: Peter Forrester, Melbourne University
Geometry Seminar Friday 3:00 Fine 314
Topic: Functional on Kahler manifolds February 12
Presenter: E. Calabi, University of Pennsylvania
Week of February 15 - 19, 1999
PACM Colloquium Monday 4:00 Fine 224
Topic: How Drops Break and Other Singularities February 15
Presenter: Michael P. Brenner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract: This talk will give an overview of some physical phenomena whose essence involves singularity formation
in a nonlinear partial differential equation. We will describe in detail two different problems where understanding the
structure of a singularity provides insight into the underlying physical process. The first problem is droplet breakup:
Based on a combination of numerics, asymptotics and experiments we will argue that viscous drops develop long necks
when they break, which then spawn a series of smaller necks with ever thinner diameters. The second problem involves
singularities occurring during the clumping of material interacting by long ranged, Laplacian interactions, motivated by
experiments involving {\it e. Coli} (E. O. Budrene and H. C. Berg, Nature, 376:49 (1995)). The dynamics raises
general questions about what happens when a system has several singular solutions in different spatial dimensions
competing with each other.
Analysis Seminar Monday 4:00 Fine 314
Topic: Wave maps in 2+1 dimensions February 15
Presenter: Daniel Tataru, Northwestern University
Statistical Mechanics Seminar Wednesday 2:00 Jadwin 343
Topic: Stability of Matter and the Interacting Relativistic February 17
Electron-Positron Field in Hartree-Fock Approximation
Presenter: Heinz Siedentop, University of Regensburg
Colloquium Wednesday 4:30 Fine 314
Topic: Nonlinear hyperbolic equations February 17
Presenter: Daniel Tataru, Northwestern University
Abstract: We present some recent results concerning the local theory for nonlinear second order hyperbolic equations
with nonsmooth initial data. These results are based on some ne strichartz type estimates for hyperbolic operators with
nonsmooth coefficients.
Ergodic Theory & Statistical Mechanics Thursday 2:00 Fine 401
Topic: Applications of Homogeneous Dynamics to Diophantine February 18 & 25
Approximation on Manifolds
Presenter: Dmitry Kleinbock, Rutgers University
Princeton University / IAS / Rutgers Number Theory & Thursday 4:15 Fine 322
Harmonic Analysis Seminar February 18
Topic: Periods of Eisenstein series
Presenter: E. Lapic, Institute for Advanced Study
Abstract: The well-known Maass-Selberg relations are formulas for the inner product of two Eisenstein series, suitably
truncated to overcome convergence problems. They were proved in full generality by Langlands and Arthur. An
analogous formula exists for periods of truncated Eisenstein over certain subgroups, the prototype being
$GL(n,Q)<GL(n,Q(i))$. We will discuss the relation with a regularization method developed by Rogawski.
The main application is for the relative trace formula.This is a joint work with Jonathan Rogawski.
Topology Seminar Thursday 4:00 Fine 314
Topic: TBA February 18
Presenter: Tianjun Li, Yale University
Week of February 22 - 26, 1999
Colloquium Wednesday 4:30 Fine 314
Topic: Orthogonal Geometry and Quantum Error Correction February 24
Presenter: Robert Calderbank, AT&T Research
Abstract: Quantum effects are seldom evident in today's electronic devices since the quantum states of many millions of
atoms are averaged together blurring their discreteness. But in quantum computing the foundations of quantum mechanics
are finding direct and visible application in information processing. The unreasonable effectiveness of quantum computing
is founded on coherent quantum superposition or entanglement which allows a large number of calculations to be
performed simultaneously. This coherence is lost as a quantum system interacts with its environment and an important
challenge today is to devise means of preserving it.
A quantum error correcting code is a way of encoding quantum states into qubits so that error or decoherence in a small
number of individual qubits has little or no effect on the encoded data. This talk will describe a beautiful group theoretic
framework that simplifies the presentation of known quantum error correcting codes and greatly facilitates the construction
of new examples.
Ergodic Theory & Statistical Mechanics Thursday 2:00 Fine 401
Topic: Applications of Homogeneous Dynamics to Diophantine February 18 & 25
Approximation on Manifolds
Presenter: Dmitry Kleinbock, Rutgers University
Date: Thursday, February 18 & 25, 1999
Time: 2 p.m.
Room: Fine 401
Special Colloquium Thursday 4:15 Fine 314
Topic: The Nash Conjective for Threefolds February 25
Presenter: Janos Kollar, University of Utah
Week of March 1 - 5, 1999
Ergodic Theory & Statistical Mechanics Thursday 2:00 Fine 401
Topic: Lanford's Program March 4
Presenter: Michael Yampolsky, Yale University
Week of March 22 - 26, 1999
Ergodic Theory & Statistical Mechanics Thursday 2:00 Fine 401
Topic: Statistical properties of weak Gibbs measures for March 25
certain nonhyperbolic systems
Presenter: Michiko Yuri, Sapporo University
Abstract (see attached)