Thu, 04 Dec 2003
16:15
NAPL

TBA

Anne Green
(Sussex)
Thu, 04 Dec 2003

14:00 - 15:00
Comlab

Recent developments in numerical simulation of failure in metals subjected to impact loading

Dr Nik Petrinic
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

The seminar will address issues related to numerical simulation

of non-linear behaviour of solid materials to impact loading.

The kinematic and constitutive aspects of the transition from

continuum to discontinuum will be presented as utilised

within an explicit finite element development framework.

Material softening, mesh sensitivity and regularisation of

solutions will be discussed.

Wed, 03 Dec 2003
12:00
Imperial College

Special Holonomy Manifolds and Quartic String Corrections

Kellogg Stelle
Abstract

At the leading order, the low-energy effective field equations in string

theory admit solutions of the form of products of Minkowski spacetime and a

Ricci-flat Calabi-Yau space. The equations of motion receive corrections at

higher orders in \alpha', which imply that the Ricci-flat Calabi-Yau space is

modified. In an appropriate choice of scheme, the Calabi-Yau space remains

Kahler, but is no longer Ricci-flat. We discuss the nature of these

corrections at order {\alpha'}^3, and consider the deformations of all the

known cohomogeneity one non-compact Kahler metrics in six and eight

dimensions. We do this by deriving the first-order equations associated with

the modified Killing-spinor conditions, and we thereby obtain the modified

supersymmetric solutions. We also give a detailed discussion of the boundary

terms for the Euler complex in six and eight dimensions, and apply the

results to all the cohomogeneity one examples. Additional material will be

presented concerning the case of holonomy G_2.

Mon, 01 Dec 2003
14:15
DH 3rd floor SR

The solutions to a class of non-linear stochastic partial
differential equations

Jie Xiong
(WIAS and University of Tennessee)
Abstract

In this talk, we consider a class of non-linear stochastic partial

differential equations. We represent its solutions as the weighted

empirical measures of interacting particle systems. As a consequence,

a simulation scheme for this class of SPDEs is proposed. There are two

sources of error in the scheme, one due to finite sampling of the

infinite collection of particles and the other due to the Euler scheme

used in the simulation of the individual particle motions. The error

bound, taking into account both sources of error, is derived. A

functional limit theorem is also derived. The results are applied to

nonlinear filtering problems.

This talk is based on joint research with Kurtz.

Fri, 28 Nov 2003
16:30
L2

Representation theory and combinatorics, from Young tableaux to the loop Grassmannian

Peter Littlemann
(Bergische Universitat Wuppertal)
Abstract

A little more than 100 years ago, Issai Schur published his pioneering PhD
thesis on the representations of the group of invertible complex n x n -
matrices. At the same time, Alfred Young introduced what later came to be
known as the Young tableau. The tableaux turned out to be an extremely useful
combinatorial tool (not only in representation theory). This talk will
explore a few of these appearances of the ubiquitous Young tableaux and also
discuss some more recent generalizations of the tableaux and the connection
with the geometry of the loop grassmannian.

Thu, 27 Nov 2003
17:00
L1

LS-galleries and MV-cycles

Peter Littlemann
(Wuppertal)
Abstract

Let $G$ be a complex semisimple algebraic group. We give an interpretation

of the path model of a representation in terms of the geometry of the affine

Grassmannian for $G$.

In this setting, the paths are replaced by LS--galleries in the affine

Coxeter complex associated to the Weyl group of $G$.

The connection with geometry is obtained as follows: consider a

Bott--Samelson desingularization of the closure of an orbit

$G(\bc[[t]]).\lam$ in the affine Grassmannian. The points of this variety can

be viewed as galleries of a fixed type in the affine Tits building associated

to $G$. The retraction of the Tits building onto the affine Coxeter complex

induces in this way, a stratification of the $G(\bc[[t]])$--orbit, indexed by

certain folded galleries in the Coxeter complex.

The connection with representation theory is given by the fact that the

closures of the strata associated to LS-galleries are the

Mirkovic-Vilonen--cycles, which form a basis of the representation $V(\lam)$

for the Langland's dual group $G^\vee$.