Fri, 16 May 2014

10:00 - 11:00
L5

Power dissipation in engineering superconductors, and implications on wire design

Ian Wilkinson (Siemens Magnet Technology)
Abstract

NbTi-based superconducting wires have widespread use in engineering applications of superconductivity such as MRI and accelerator magnets. Tolerance to the effects of interactions with changing (external) magnetic fields is an important consideration in wire design, in order to make the most efficient use of the superconducting material. This project aims to develop robust analytical models of the power dissipation in real conductor geometries across a broad frequency range of external field changes, with a view to developing wire designs that minimise these effects.

Thu, 15 May 2014

16:00 - 17:00
C6

Cancelled

Cancelled
Thu, 15 May 2014

16:00 - 17:00
L5

Analytic p-adic L-functions

David Hansen
(Institut de mathématiques de Jussieu)
Abstract

I'll sketch a construction which associates a canonical p-adic L-function with a 'non-critically refined' cohomological cuspidal automorphic representation of GL(2) over an arbitrary number field F, generalizing and unifying previous results of many authors. These p-adic L-functions have good interpolation and growth properties, and they vary analytically over eigenvarieties. When F=Q this reduces to a construction of Pollack and Stevens. I'll also explain where this fits in the general picture of Iwasawa theory, and I'll point towards the iceberg of which this construction is the tip.

Thu, 15 May 2014

16:00 - 17:30
L4

A Model of Financialization of Commodities,

Suleyman Basak
(London Business School)
Abstract

A sharp increase in the popularity of commodity investing in the past decade has triggered an unprecedented inflow of institutional funds into commodity futures markets. Such financialization of commodities coincided with significant booms and busts in commodity markets, raising concerns of policymakers. In this paper, we explore the effects of financialization in a model that features institutional investors alongside traditional futures markets participants. The institutional investors care about their performance relative to a commodity index. We find that if a commodity futures is included in the index, supply and demand shocks specific to that commodity spill over to all other commodity futures markets. In contrast, supply and demand shocks to a nonindex commodity affect just that commodity market alone. Moreover, prices and volatilities of all commodity futures go up, but more so for the index futures than for nonindex ones. Furthermore, financialization — the presence of institutional investors — leads to an increase in correlations amongst commodity futures as well as in equity-commodity correlations. Consistent with empirical evidence, the increases in the correlations between index commodities exceed those for nonindex ones. We model explicitly demand shocks which allows us to disentangle the effects of financialization from the effects of demand and supply (fundamentals). We perform a simple calibration and find that financialization accounts for 11% to 17% of commodity futures prices and the rest is attributable to fundamentals.

Thu, 15 May 2014
16:00
L3

Quantifying multimodality in gene regulatory networks

Ramon Grima
(Edinburgh)
Abstract

Several experimental studies have shown that the abundance distributions of proteins in a population of isogenic cells may display multiple distinct maxima. Each of these maxima may be associated with a subpopulation of a particular phenotype, the quantification of which is important for understanding cellular decision-making. I will present a novel methodology which allows us to quantify multi-modal gene expression distributions and single cell power spectra in gene regulatory networks. The method is based on an extension of the linear noise approximation; in particular we rigorously show that, in the limit of slow promoter dynamics, these distributions can be systematically approximated as a mixture of Gaussian components. The resulting closed-form approximation provides a practical tool for studying complex nonlinear gene regulatory networks that have thus far been amenable only to stochastic simulation. I will demonstrate the applicability of our approach to several examples and discuss some new dynamical characteristics e.g., how the interplay of transcriptional and translational regulation can be exploited to control the multimodality of gene expression distributions in two-promoter networks and how genetic oscillators can display concerted noise-induced bimodality and noise-induced oscillations.

Thu, 15 May 2014

14:00 - 16:00
L4

D-modules on prestacks

Nick Cooney
(Mathematical Insitute, Oxford)
Abstract

This talk will be an introduction to the notion of D-modules on

prestacks. We will begin by discussing Grothendieck's definition of

crystals of quasi-coherent sheaves on a smooth scheme X, and briefly

indicate how the category of such objects is equivalent to that of

modules over the sheaf of differential operators on X. We will then

explain what we mean by a prestack and define the category of

quasi-coherent sheaves on them. Finally, we consider how the

crystalline approach may be used to give a suitable generalization

of D-modules to this derived setting.

Thu, 15 May 2014
14:00
L5

Plane Wave Discontinuous Galerkin Methods: Exponential Convergence of the hp-version

Andrea Moiola
(Reading University)
Abstract

Computer simulation of the propagation and interaction of linear waves
is a core task in computational science and engineering.
The finite element method represents one of the most common
discretisation techniques for Helmholtz and Maxwell's equations, which
model time-harmonic acoustic and electromagnetic wave scattering.
At medium and high frequencies, resolution requirements and the
so-called pollution effect entail an excessive computational effort
and prevent standard finite element schemes from an effective use.
The wave-based Trefftz methods offer a possible way to deal with this
problem: trial and test functions are special solutions of the
underlying PDE inside each element, thus the information about the
frequency is directly incorporated in the discrete spaces.

This talk is concerned with a family of those methods: the so-called
Trefftz-discontinuous Galerkin (TDG) methods, which include the
well-known ultraweak variational formulation (UWVF).
We derive a general formulation of the TDG method for Helmholtz
impedance boundary value problems and we discuss its well-posedness
and quasi-optimality.
A complete theory for the (a priori) h- and p-convergence for plane
and circular/spherical wave finite element spaces has been developed,
relying on new best approximation estimates for the considered
discrete spaces.
In the two-dimensional case, on meshes with very general element
shapes geometrically graded towards domain corners, we prove
exponential convergence of the discrete solution in terms of number of
unknowns.

This is a joint work with Ralf Hiptmair, Christoph Schwab (ETH Zurich,
Switzerland) and Ilaria Perugia (Vienna, Austria).

Wed, 14 May 2014

16:00 - 17:00
C6

A Casual Introduction to Higher Category Theory

Mark Penney
(Oxford)
Abstract

As the title says, in this talk I will be giving a casual introduction to higher categories. I will begin by introducing strict n-categories and look closely at the resulting structure for n=2. After discussing why this turns out to be an unsatisfying definition I will discuss in what ways it can be weakened. Broadly there are two main classes of models for weak n-categories: algebraic and geometric. The differences between these two classes will be demonstrated by looking at bicategories on the algebraic side and quasicategories on the geometric.

Wed, 14 May 2014

15:00 - 16:00
L6

Construction of p-adic L-functions for unitary groups

Michael Harris
(Columbia University (New York))
Abstract

This is a report on joint work (still in progress) with Ellen Eischen, Jian-Shu Li,
and Chris Skinner.  I will describe the general structure of our construction of p-adic L-functions
attached to families of ordinary holomorphic modular forms on Shimura varieties attached to
unitary groups.  The complex L-function is studied by means of the doubling method;
its p-adic interpolation applies adelic representation theory to Ellen Eischen's Eisenstein 
measure.

Wed, 14 May 2014
10:30
N3.12

An introduction to homotopy type theory and Univalent Foundations

Emily Cliff
Abstract

In this talk we aim to introduce the key ideas of homotopy type theory and show how it draws on and has applications to the areas of logic, higher category theory, and homotopy theory. We will discuss how types can be viewed both as propositions (statements about mathematics) as well as spaces (mathematical objects themselves). In particular we will define identity types and explore their groupoid-like structure; we will also discuss the notion of equivalence of types, introduce the Univalence Axiom, and consider some of its implications. Time permitting, we will discuss inductive types and show how they can be used to define types corresponding to specific topological spaces (e.g. spheres or more generally CW complexes).\\

This talk will assume no prior knowledge of type theory; however, some very basic background in category theory (e.g. the definition of a category) and homotopy theory (e.g. the definition of a homotopy) will be assumed.

Tue, 13 May 2014

17:00 - 18:00
C5

Tits rigidity of CAT(0) group boundaries

Eric Swenson
(Brigham Young)
Abstract

Let $A$ and $B$ be boundaries of CAT(0) spaces. A function $f:A \to B$ is called a {\em boundary isomorphism} if $f$ is a homeomorphism in the visual topology and

$f$ is an isometry in the Tits metric. A compact metrizable space $Y$ is said to be {\em Tits rigid}, if for any two CAT(0) group boundaries $Z_1$ and $Z_2$ homeomorphic to $Y$, $Z_1$ is boundary isomorphic to $Z_2$.

We prove that the join of two Cantor sets and its suspension are Tits rigid.

Tue, 13 May 2014

15:30 - 16:30
L4

Mirror symmetry without localisation

Tom Coates
(Imperial College London)
Abstract

Mirror Symmetry predicts a surprising relationship between the virtual numbers of degree-d rational curves in a target space X and variations of Hodge structure on a different space X’, called the mirror to X.  Concretely, it predicts that one can compute genus-zero Gromov–Witten invariants (which are the virtual numbers of rational curves) in terms of hypergeometric functions (which are the solutions to a differential equation that controls the variation of Hodge structure).  Existing proofs of this rely on beautiful but fearsomely complicated localization calculations in equivariant cohomology.  I will describe a new proof of the Mirror Theorem, for a broad range of target spaces X, which is much simpler and more conceptual. This is joint work with Cristina Manolache.

Tue, 13 May 2014

14:30 - 15:00
L5

A closest point penalty method for evolution equations on surfaces.

Ingrid von Glehn
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

Partial differential equations defined on surfaces appear in various applications, for example image processing and reconstruction of non-planar images. In this talk, I will present a penalty method for evolution equations, based on an implicit representation of the surface. I will derive a simple equation in the surrounding space, formulated with an extension operator, and then show some analysis and applications of the method.

Tue, 13 May 2014
14:15
Dobson Room, AOPP

TBA

Trevor McDougall
(University of New South Wales)
Tue, 13 May 2014

14:00 - 14:30
L5

A theorem on the approximation of discontinuous functions

Iain Smears
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

Several problems lead to the question of how well can a fine grid function be approximated by a coarse grid function, such as preconditioning in finite element methods or data compression and image processing. Particular challenges in answering this question arise when the functions may be only piecewise-continuous, or when the coarse space is not nested in the fine space. In this talk, we solve the problem by using a stable approximation from a space of globally smooth functions as an intermediate step, thereby allowing the use of known approximation results to establish the approximability by a coarse space. We outline the proof, which relies on techniques from the theory of discontinuous Galerkin methods and on the theory of Helmholtz decompositions. Finally, we present an application of our to nonoverlapping domain decomposition preconditioners for hp-version DGFEM.

Tue, 13 May 2014

14:00 - 15:00
L4

The Crepant Transformation Conjecture and Fourier--Mukai Transforms

Tom Coates
(Imperial College London)
Abstract

Suppose that X and Y are Kahler manifolds or orbifolds which are related by a crepant resolution or flop F.  It is expected that the Gromov--Witten potentials of X and Y should be related by analytic continuation in Kahler parameters combined with a linear symplectomorphism between Givental's symplectic spaces for X and Y.  This linear symplectomorphism is expected to coincide, in a precise sense which I will explain, with the Fourier--Mukai transform on K-theory induced by F.  In this talk I will prove these conjectures, as well as their torus-equivariant generalizations, in the case where X and Y are toric.  
This is joint work with Hiroshi Iritani and Yunfeng Jian
Tue, 13 May 2014 13:00 -
Wed, 14 May 2014 14:00
C4

Making Exact Bayesian Inference on Cox Processes

Yves-Lauren Kom Samo
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

Cox processes arise as a natural extension of inhomogeneous Poisson Processes, when the intensity function itself is taken to be stochastic. In multiple applications one is often concerned with characterizing the posterior distribution over the intensity process (given some observed data). Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods have historically been successful at such tasks. However, direct methods are doubly intractable, especially when the intensity process takes values in a space of continuous functions.

In this talk I'll be presenting a method to overcome this intractability that is based on the idea of "thinning" and that does not resort to approximations.

Mon, 12 May 2014

17:00 - 18:00
L6

Desingularization of stationary shallow water vortices

Jean Van Schaftingen
(Universite catholique de louvain)
Abstract

I will show how families of concentrating stationary vortices for the shallow

water equations can be constructed and studied asymptotically. The main tool

is the study of asymptotics of solutions to a family of semilinear elliptic

problems. The same method also yields results for axisymmetric vortices for

the Euler equation of incompressible fluids.

Mon, 12 May 2014

16:00 - 17:00
C5

TBA

Frederick Manners
(University of Oxford)
Mon, 12 May 2014

15:45 - 16:45
Oxford-Man Institute

Inverting the signature

WEIJUN XU
(University of Warwick)
Abstract

Abstract: The signature of a path characterizes the non-commutative evolvements along the path trajectory. Nevertheless, one can extract local commutativities from the signature, thus leading to an inversion scheme.