Tue, 10 Mar 2009
12:00
L3

A uniqueness theorem for charged rotating black holes in five- dimensional minimal supergravity

Akihiro Ishibashi
(KEK Japan)
Abstract

We show that a charged rotating black hole in five-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory is uniquely characterized by the mass, charge, and two independent angular momenta, under the assumptions of the existence of two commuting axial isometries and spherical topology of horizon cross-sections. Therefore, such a black hole must be described by the Chong-Cveti\v{c}-L\"u-Pope metric.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009

17:00 - 18:00
Gibson 1st Floor SR

Regularity properties of solutions to elastic plastic problems with hardening

Jens Frehse
(Bonn)
Abstract

We consider problems of elastic plastic deformation with isotropic and  kinematic hardening.

A dual formulation with stresses as principal variables is used. 

We obtain several results on Sobolev space regularity of the stresses  and strains.

In particular, we obtain the existence of a full derivative of the  stress tensor up to the boundary of the basic domain.

Finally, we present an outlook for obtaining further regularity  results in connection with general nonlinear evolution problems.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009

16:00 - 17:00
SR1

The Chevalley-Warning Theorem

Dr Damiano Testa
(The Mathematical Institute, Oxford)
Abstract

The goal of this talk is to give sufficient conditions for the existence of points on certain varieties defned over finite fields.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009
15:45
L3

The maximal number of exceptional Dehn surgeries

Marc Lackenby
(Oxford)
Abstract

I will outline the proof of two old conjectures of Cameron Gordon. The first states that the maximal number of exceptional Dehn surgeries on a 1-cusped hyperbolic 3-manifold is 10. The second states the maximal distance between exceptional Dehn surgeries on a 1-cusped hyperbolic 3-manifold is 8. The proof uses a combination of new geometric techniques and rigorous computer-assisted calculations.

This is joint work with Rob Meyerhoff.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009
15:45
Oxford-Man Institute

Random walks on random graphs and trees

Dr David Croydon
(University of Warwick)
Abstract
I will discuss scaling properties of simple random walks on various random graphs, including those generated by random walk paths, branching processes and branching random walk, and briefly describe how attempting to understand the random walk on a critical percolation cluster provides some motivation for this work.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009

12:00 - 13:00
L3

The UV question in maximally supersymmetric field theories

Paul Howe
(King's College London)
Abstract
Recent developments in computational techniques have shown that UV divergences can be tested at higher loop orders than is possible using standard Feynman diagrams. The results of these calculations are summarised. It is argued that they do not, as yet, contradict expectations from symmetry arguments. The latter lead to the expectation that D=4, N=8 supergravity is likely to diverge at five loops unless hitherto unknown mechanisms are at work. In the technical part of the talk the role of algebraic renormalisation and cohomological methods is highlighted.
Fri, 06 Mar 2009
16:30
L2

An example of 2-category

Professor Bao Chau Ngo
(Orsay)
Abstract
Coefficients of the characteristic polynomial are generators of the ring of polynomial functions on the space of matrices which are invariant under the conjugation. This was generalized by Chevalley to general reductive groups. By looking closely on the centralisers, one is lead to a very natural 2-category attached to Chevalley characteristic morphism. This abstract, but yet elementary, construction helps one to understand the symmetries of the fibres of the Hitchin fibration, as well as those of affine Springer fibers.

We will also explain how these groups of symmetries are related to the notion of endoscopic groups, which was introduced by Langlands in his stabilisation of the trace formula. We will also briefly explain how the symmetry groups help one to acquire a rather good understanding of the cohomology of the Hitchin fibration and eventually the proof of the fundamental lemma in Langlands' program.
Fri, 06 Mar 2009
14:15
DH 3rd floor SR

Martingale optimality, BSDE and cross hedging of insurance derivatives

Peter Imkeller
(Humboldt)
Abstract

A financial market model is considered on which agents (e.g. insurers) are subject to an exogenous financial risk, which they trade by issuing a risk bond. Typical risk sources are climate or weather. Buyers of the bond are able to invest in a market asset correlated with the exogenous risk. We investigate their utility maximization problem, and calculate bond prices using utility indi®erence. This hedging concept is interpreted by means of martingale optimality, and solved with BSDE and Malliavin's calculus tools. Prices are seen to decrease as a result of dynamic hedging. The price increments are interpreted in terms of diversification pressure.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009

16:30 - 17:30

Free surface flows in the presence of electric fields

Jean-Marc Vanden-Broeck
(UCL)
Abstract

GIBSON BUILDING COMMON ROOM 2ND FLOOR

(Coffee and Cakes in Gibson Meeting Room - opposite common room)

The effects of electric fields on nonlinear free surface flows are investigated. Both inviscid and Stokes flows are considered.

Fully nonlinear solutions are computed by boundary integral equation methods and weakly nonlinear solutions are obtained by using long wave asymptotics and lubrication theory. Effects of electric fields on the stability of the flows are discussed. In addition applications to coating flows are presented.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009
16:00
L3

Recent variants and applications of the arithmetic large sieve

Emmanuel Kowalski
(Zurich)
Abstract

The "large sieve" was invented by Linnik in order to attack problems involving the distribution of integers subject to certain constraints modulo primes, for which earlier methods of sieve theory were not suitable. Recently, the arithmetic large sieve inequality has been found to be capable of much wider application, and has been used to obtain results involving objects not usually considered as related to sieve theory. A form of the general sieve setting will be presented, together with sample applications; those may involve arithmetic properties of random walks on discrete groups, zeta functions over finite fields, modular forms, or even random groups.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009

14:00 - 15:00
Comlab

Geometric Numerical Integration of Differential Equations

Prof Reinout Quispel
(Latrobe University Melbourne)
Abstract

Geometric integration is the numerical integration of a differential equation, while preserving one or more of its geometric/physical properties exactly, i.e. to within round-off error.

Many of these geometric properties are of crucial importance in physical applications: preservation of energy, momentum, angular momentum, phase-space volume, symmetries, time-reversal symmetry, symplectic structure and dissipation are examples. The field has tantalizing connections to dynamical systems, as well as to Lie groups.

In this talk we first present a survey of geometric numerical integration methods for differential equations, and then exemplify this by discussing symplectic vs energy-preserving integrators for ODEs as well as for PDEs.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009
13:00
DH 3rd floor SR

Diffusion processes and coalescent trees.

Robert Griffiths
(Department of Statistics, Oxford)
Abstract

Diffusion process models for evolution of neutral genes have a particle dual coalescent process underlying them. Models are reversible with transition functions having a diagonal expansion in orthogonal polynomial eigenfunctions of dimension greater than one, extending classical one-dimensional diffusion models with Beta stationary distribution and Jacobi polynomial expansions to models with Dirichlet or Poisson Dirichlet stationary distributions. Another form of the transition functions is as a mixture depending on the mutant and non-mutant families represented in the leaves of an infinite-leaf coalescent tree.

The one-dimensional Wright-Fisher diffusion process is important in a characterization of a wider class of continuous time reversible Markov processes with Beta stationary distributions originally studied by Bochner (1954) and Gasper (1972). These processes include the subordinated Wright-Fisher diffusion process.

Thu, 05 Mar 2009

11:00 - 12:00
L2

Decomposition theorem for abelian fibrations

Professor Bao Chau Ngo
(Orsay)
Abstract

Derived direct image of a proper map with smooth source is a direct sum of simple perverse sheaves with shifts in the degrees. The supports of these simple perverse sheaves are obviously important  topological invariants of the map. In general, it is difficult to determine these supports. This is possible for an abelian fibration under some assumptions. This determination has some amazing  consequences on equality of number of points of certain algebraic varieties over finite fields and in particular, it implies the so called fundamental lemma in Langlands' program.