Colloquia
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Fri, 22/01/2010 16:30 |
Professor Don Zagier (Max-Planck Institut) |
Colloquia  |
L2 |
| Many problems from combinatorics, number theory, quantum field theory and topology lead to power series of a special kind called q-hypergeometric series. Sometimes, like in the famous Rogers-Ramanujan identities, these q-series turn out to be modular functions or modular forms. A beautiful conjecture of W. Nahm, inspired by quantum theory, relates this phenomenon to algebraic K-theory. In a different direction, quantum invariants of knots and 3-manifolds also sometimes seem to have modular or near-modular properties, leading to new objects called "quantum modular forms". | |||
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Fri, 26/02/2010 16:30 |
Professor Pierre Cartier (IHES) (IHES) |
Colloquia |
L2 |
| We shall report on the use of algebraic geometry for the calculation of Feynman amplitudes (work of Bloch, Brown, Esnault and Kreimer). Or how to combine Grothendieck's motives with high energy physics in an unexpected way, radically distinct from string theory. | |||
