Thu, 03 Feb 2011

16:00 - 17:00
L3

Constructing Abelian Varieties over $\overline{\mbthbb{Q}}$ Not Isogenous to a Jacobian

Jacob Tsimerman
(Princeton University)
Abstract

We discuss the following question of Nick Katz and Frans Oort: Given an

Algebraically closed field K , is there an Abelian variety over K of

dimension g which is not isogenous to a Jacobian? For K the complex

numbers

its easy to see that the answer is yes for g>3 using measure theory, but

over a countable field like $\overline{\mbthbb{Q}}$ new methods are required. Building on

work

of Chai-Oort, we show that, as expected, such Abelian varieties exist for

$K=\overline{\mbthbb{Q}}$ and g>3 . We will explain the proof as well as its connection to

the

Andre Oort conjecture.

Tue, 25 Jan 2011

15:45 - 16:45
L3

(HoRSe seminar) Localized virtual cycles, and applications to GW and DT invariants II

Jun Li
(Stanford)
Abstract

We first present the localized virtual cycles by cosections of obstruction sheaves constructed by Kiem and Li. This construction has two kinds of applications: one is define invariants for non-proper moduli spaces; the other is to reduce the obstruction classes. We will present two recent applications of this construction: one is the Gromov-Witten invariants of stable maps with fields (joint work with Chang); the other is studying Donaldson-Thomas invariants of Calabi-Yau threefolds (joint work with Kiem).

Tue, 01 Feb 2011

12:00 - 13:00
L3

An introduction to asymptotic safety

Roberto Percacci (SISSA)
Abstract

I define what it means for a quantum

field theory to be asymptotically safe and

discuss possible applications to theories

of gravity and matter.

Mon, 28 Feb 2011

14:15 - 15:15
L3

The Classification of Rational SubTangle Adjacencies, with Applications to Complex Nucleoprotein Assemblies.

Dorothy Buck
(Imperial College London)
Abstract

Many proteins cleave and reseal DNA molecules in precisely orchestrated
ways. Modelling these reactions has often relied on the axis of the DNA
double helix
being circular, so these cut-and-seal mechanisms can be
tracked by corresponding changes in the knot type of the DNA axis.
However, when the DNA molecule is linear, or the
protein action does not manifest itself as a change in knot type, or the
knots types are not 4-plats, these knot theoretic models are less germane.

We thus give a taxonomy of local DNA axis configurations. More precisely, we
characterise
all rational tangles obtained from a given rational tangle via a rational
subtangle
replacement (RSR). This builds on work of Berge and Gabai. 
We further determine the sites for these RSR of distance greater than 1.
Finally, we classify all knots in lens spaces whose exteriors are
generalised Seifert fibered spaces and their lens space surgeries, extending work of
Darcy-Sumners.

Biologically then, this classification is endowed with a distance that
determines how many protein reactions
of a particular type (corresponding to steps of a specified size) are
needed to proceed from one local conformation to another.
We conclude by discussing a variety of biological applications of this
categorisation.

Joint work with Ken Baker

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