Tue, 23 Feb 2010

15:45 - 16:45
L3

(HoRSe seminar) Cluster category and applications

Kentaro Nagao
(Oxford and Kyoto)
Abstract

I will introduce the theory of cluster categories after Amiot and Plamondon. For a quiver with a potential, the cluster category is defined as the quotient of the category of perfect dg-modules by the category of dg-modules with finite dimensional cohomologies. We can show the existence of the equivalence in the first talk as an application of the cluster category. I will also propose a definition of a counting invariant for each element in the cluster category.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010
14:30
L3

Line Graphs and Beyond

Lowell Beineke
(Purdue)
Abstract

The line graph operation, in which the edges of one graph are taken as the vertices of a new graph with adjacency preserved, is arguably the most interesting of graph transformations. In this survey, we will begin looking at characterisations of line graphs, focusing first on results related to our set of nine forbidden subgraphs. This will be followed by a discussion of some generalisations of line graphs, including our investigations into the Krausz dimension of a graph G, defined as the minimum, over all partitions of the edge-set of G into complete subgraphs, of the maximum number of subgraphs containing any vertex (the maximum in Krausz's characterisation of line graphs being 2).

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

14:30 - 15:30
L3

Line Graphs and Beyond

Lowell Beineke
(Purdue)
Abstract

The line graph operation, in which the edges of one graph are taken as the vertices of a new graph with adjacency preserved, is arguably the most interesting of graph transformations.  In this survey, we will begin looking at characterisations of line graphs, focusing first on results related to our set of nine forbidden subgraphs. This will be followed by a discussion of some generalisations of line graphs, including our investigations into the Krausz dimension of a graph G, defined as the minimum, over all partitions of the edge-set of G into complete subgraphs, of the maximum number of subgraphs containing any vertex (the maximum in Krausz's characterisation of line graphs being 2).

Tue, 23 Feb 2010
14:15
DH 1st floor SR

Stopping with Multiple Priors and Variational Expectations in Contiuous Time

Frank Riedel
(Bielefeld University)
Abstract

We develop a theory of optimal stopping problems under ambiguity in continuous time. Using results from (backward) stochastic calculus, we characterize the value function as the smallest (nonlinear) supermartingale dominating the payoff process. For Markovian models, we derive a Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation involving a nonlinear drift term that describes the agent’s ambiguity aversion. We show how to use these general results for search problems and American Options.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

14:00 - 15:00
SR1

(HoRSe seminar) Quiver mutations and stability conditions

Kentaro Nagao
(Oxford and Kyoto)
Abstract

Let $(Q',w')$ be a quiver with a potential given by successive mutations from a quiver with a potential $(Q,w)$. Then we have an equivalence of the derived categories of dg-modules over the Ginzburg dg-algebras satisfying the following condition: a simple module over the dg-algebra for $(Q',w')$ is either concentrated on degree 0 or concentrated on degree 1 as a dg-module over the

dg-algebra for $(Q,w)$. As an application of this equivalence, I will give a description of the space of stability conditions.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

13:15 - 13:45
DH 1st floor SR

Accurate Density Forecasts based on Simple Nonlinear Models

Siddharth Arora
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

Abstract: Nonlinear models have been widely employed to characterize the

underlying structure in a time series. It has been shown that the

in-sample fit of nonlinear models is better than linear models, however,

the superiority of nonlinear models over linear models, from the

perspective of out-of-sample forecasting accuracy remains doubtful. We

compare forecast accuracy of nonlinear regime switching models against

classical linear models using different performance scores, such as root

mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the continuous

ranked probability score (CRPS). We propose and investigate the efficacy

of a class of simple nonparametric, nonlinear models that are based on

estimation of a few parameters, and can generate more accurate forecasts

when compared with the classical models. Also, given the importance of

gauging uncertainty in forecasts for proper risk assessment and well

informed decision making, we focus on generating and evaluating both point

and density forecasts.

Keywords: Nonlinear, Forecasting, Performance scores.

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

16:00 - 17:00
SR1

Prime gaps

James Maynard
(Mathematical Institute, Oxford)
Mon, 22 Feb 2010

16:00 - 17:00
SR1

TBA

TBA
(Mathematical Institute, Oxford)
Mon, 22 Feb 2010
15:45
Eagle House

Rough Paths and PDEs

Massimiliano Gubinelli
(Paris, Dauphine)
Abstract

By means of a series of examples (Korteweg-de Vries equation, non-

linear stochastic heat equations and Navier-Stokes equation) we will show how it is possible to apply rough path ideas in the study of the Cauchy problem for PDEs with and without stochastic terms.

Mon, 22 Feb 2010
14:15
Eagle House

Signaling Game: A general Micro-Level Model

Yi Lei Hu
(University of Paris VI, France)
Abstract

We study a generalized version of the signaling processoriginally introduced and studied by Argiento, Pemantle, Skyrms and Volkov(2009), which models how two interacting agents learn to signal each other andthus create a common language.

We show that the process asymptotically leads to the emergence of a graph ofconnections between signals and states which has the property that nosignal-state correspondance could be associated both to a synonym and aninformational bottleneck.

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

12:00 - 13:00
L3

Generalized scaling and integrability from AdS5 x S5

Riccardo Ricci
(Imperial College)
Abstract
According to AdS/CFT a remarkable correspondence exists between strings in AdS5 x S5 and operators in N=4 SYM. A particularly important case is that of fast-spinning folded closed strings and the so called twist-operators in the gauge theory. This is a remarkable tool for uncovering and checking the detailed structure of the AdS/CFT correspondence and its integrability properties. In this talk I will show how to match the expression of the anomalous dimension of twist operators as computed from the quantum superstring with the result obtained from the Bethe ansatz of SYM. This agreement resolves a long-standing disagreement between gauge and string sides of the AdS/CFT duality and provides a highly nontrivial strong coupling test of SYM integrability.
Fri, 19 Feb 2010

10:00 - 11:15
DH 1st floor SR

Using ordinary differential equation models to represent fire and temperature dynamics from palaeoecological data

Elizabeth Jeffers
(Oxford Centre for the Environment)
Abstract

I have reconstructed multiple palaeoecological records from sites across the British Isles; this work has resulted in detailed time series that demonstrate changes in vegetation, herbivore density, nitrogen cycling, fire levels and air temperature across an 8,000 year time span covering the end of the last glacial period. The aim of my research is to use statistics to infer the relationships between vegetation changes and changes in the abiotic and biotic environment in which they occurred. This aim is achieved by using a model-fitting and model-selection method whereby sets of ordinary differential equations (ODE) are ‘fitted’ to the time series data via maximum likelihood estimation in order to find the model(s) that provide the closest match to the data. Many of the differential equation models that I have used in this study are well established in the theoretical ecology literature (i.e. plant – resource dynamics and plant – herbivore dynamics); however, there are no existing ODE models of fire or temperature dynamics that were appropriate for my data. For this workshop, I will present the palaeoecological data that I collected along with the models that I have chosen to work with (including my first attempt at models for fire and temperature dynamics) and I hope to get your feedback on these models and suggestions for other useful modelling methods that could be used to represent these dynamics.

Thu, 18 Feb 2010
17:00
L3

Compact Apporximations and Topological Complexity of definable Sets

Nicolai Vorobjov
(Bath)
Abstract

We study upper bounds on topological complexity of sets definable in o-minimal structures over the reals. We suggest a new construction for approximating a large class of definable sets, including the sets defined by arbitrary Boolean combinations of equations and inequalities, by compact sets.

Those compact sets bound from above the homotopies and homologies of the approximated sets.

The construction is applicable to images under definable maps.

Based on this construction we refine the previously known upper bounds on Betti numbers of semialgebraic and semi-Pfaffian sets defined by quantifier-free formulae, and prove similar new upper bounds, individual for different Betti numbers, for their images under arbitrary continuous definable maps.

Joint work with A. Gabrielov.

Thu, 18 Feb 2010

16:30 - 17:30
DH 1st floor SR

Morphoelasticity, viscoelasticity and the evolution of strain

Cameron Hall (OCCAM)
Abstract

If an ideal elastic spring is greatly stretched, it will develop large stresses. However, solid biological tissues are able to grow without developing such large stresses. This is because the cells within such tissues are able to lay down new fibres and remove old ones, fundamentally changing the mechanical structure of the tissue. In many ways, this is analogous to classical plasticity, where materials stretched beyond their yield point begin to flow and the unloaded state of the material changes. Unfortunately, biological tissues are not closed systems and so we are not able to use standard plasticity techniques where we require the flow to be mass conserving and energetically passive.

In this talk, a general framework will be presented for modelling the changing zero stress state of a biological tissue (or any other material). Working from the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient, we show that the rate of 'desired' growth can represented using a tensor that describes both the total rate of growth and any directional biases. This can be used to give an evolution equation for the effective strain (a measure of the difference between the current state and the zero stress state). We conclude by looking at a perhaps surprising application for this theory as a method for deriving the constitutive laws of a viscoelastic fluid.

Thu, 18 Feb 2010

14:00 - 15:00
3WS SR

Saddle point problems in liquid crystal modelling

Dr. Alison Ramage
(University of Strathclyde)
Abstract

Saddle-point problems occur frequently in liquid crystal modelling. For example, they arise whenever Lagrange multipliers are used for the pointwise-unit-vector constraints in director modelling, or in both general director and order tensor models when an electric field is present that stems from a constant voltage. Furthermore, in a director model with associated constraints and Lagrange multipliers, together with a coupled electric-field interaction, a particular ''double'' saddle-point structure arises. This talk will focus on a simple example of this type and discuss appropriate numerical solution schemes.

This is joint work with Eugene C. Gartland, Jr., Department of Mathematical Sciences, Kent State University.

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:00 -
Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00
SR1

Monodromy of Higgs bundles

Laura Schaposnik
(Oxford)
Abstract

We will consider the monodromy action on mod 2 cohomology for SL(2) Hitchin systems. We will study Copeland's approach to the subject and use his results to compute the monodromy action on mod 2 cohomology. An interpretation of our results in terms of geometric properties of fixed points of a natural involution on the moduli space is given.