Thu, 13 Mar 2025
12:00
L6

Mixed-type Partial Differential Equations and the Isometric Immersions Problem

Siran Li
(Shanghai Jiao Tong University)
Abstract

This talk is about a classical problem in differential geometry and global analysis: the isometric immersions of Riemannian manifolds into Euclidean spaces. We focus on the PDE approach to isometric immersions, i.e., the analysis of Gauss--Codazzi--Ricci equations, especially in the regime of low Sobolev regularity. Such equations are not purely elliptic, parabolic, or hyperbolic in general, hence calling for analytical tools for PDEs of mixed types. We discuss various recent contributions -- in line with the pioneering works by G.-Q. Chen, M. Slemrod, and D. Wang [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. (2010); Comm. Math. Phys. (2010)] -- on the weak continuity of Gauss--Codazzi--Ricci equations, the weak stability of isometric immersions, and the fundamental theorem of submanifold theory with low regularity. Two mixed-type PDE techniques are emphasised throughout these developments: the method of compensated compactness and the theory of Coulomb--Uhlenbeck gauges.


 
Mon, 10 Mar 2025
13:00
L6

Higher-form Symmetries in Linear Gravity

Adam Kmec
Abstract

Recently, work has been done to understand higher-form symmetries in linear gravity. Just like Maxwell theory, which has both electric and magnetic U(1) higher form symmetries, linearised gravity exhibits analogous structure. The authors of
[https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.00178] investigate electric and magnetic higher form symmetries in linearised gravity, which correspond to shift symmetries of the graviton and the dual graviton respectively. By attempting to gauge the two symmetries, the authors investigate the mixed ’t Hooft anomalies anomaly structure of linearised gravity. Furthermore, if a specific shift symmetry is considered, the corresponding charges are related to Roger Penrose's quasi-local charge construction.

Based on: [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.08720][https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.00178][https://arxiv.org/pdf/2401.17361]

Thu, 13 Mar 2025
16:00
L6

Parametrising complete intersections

Jakub Wiaterek
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

For some values of degrees d=(d_1,...,d_c), we construct a compactification of a Hilbert scheme of complete intersections of type d. We present both a quotient and a direct construction. Then we work towards the construction of a quasiprojective coarse moduli space of smooth complete intersections via Geometric Invariant Theory.

Tue, 29 Apr 2025
16:00
L6

Thick points of the planar Gaussian free field 

Ellen Powell
(Durham University)
Abstract
The Gaussian Free Field (GFF) in two dimensions is a random field which can be viewed as a multidimensional analogue of Brownian motion, and appears as a universal scaling limit of a class of discrete height functions. Thick points of the GFF are points where, roughly speaking, the field is atypically high. They provide key insights into the geometric properties of the field, and are the basis for construction of important associated objects in random planar geometry. The set of thick points with thickness level a is a fractal set with Hausdorff dimension 2-a^2/2. In this talk I will discuss another fundamental property, namely, that the set is almost surely disconnected for all non-zero a. This is based on joint work with Juhan Aru and Léonie Papon, and uses a remarkable relationship between the GFF and the "conformal loop ensemble" of parameter 4. 
Tue, 13 May 2025
16:00
L6

Random matrix theory and optimal transport

Bence Borda
(University of Sussex)
Abstract

The Wasserstein metric originates in the theory of optimal transport, and among many other applications, it provides a natural way to measure how evenly distributed a finite point set is. We give a survey of classical and more recent results that describe the behaviour of some random point processes in Wasserstein metric, including the eigenvalues of some random matrix models, and explain the connection to the logarithm of the characteristic polynomial of a random unitary matrix. We also discuss a simple random walk model on the unit circle defined in terms of a quadratic irrational number, which turns out to be related to surprisingly deep arithmetic properties of real quadratic fields.

Tue, 20 May 2025
16:00
L6

Approaching the two-point Chowla conjecture via matrices

Cedric Pilatte
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

The two-point Chowla conjecture predicts that $\sum_{x<n<2x} \lambda(n)\lambda(n+1) = o(x)$ as $x\to \infty$, where $\lambda$ is the Liouville function (a $\{\pm 1\}$-valued multiplicative function encoding the parity of the number of prime factors). While this remains an open problem, weaker versions of this conjecture are known. In this talk, we outline an approach initiated by Helfgott and Radziwill, which reformulates the problem in terms of bounding the eigenvalues of a certain matrix.

Tue, 06 May 2025
16:00
L6

Random matrix insights into discrete moments

Christopher Hughes
(University of York)
Abstract

One curious little fact about the Riemann zeta function is that if you evaluate its derivatives at the zeros of zeta, then on average this is real and positive (even though the function is complex). This has been proven for some time now, but the aim of this talk is to generalise the question further (higher derivatives, complex moments) and gain insight using random matrix theory. The takeaway message will be that there are a multitude of different proof techniques in RMT, each with their own advantages

Mon, 03 Mar 2025
13:00
L6

A Primer on Carroll Geometry

Adrien Fiorucci
Abstract

This brief pedagogical talk introduces key concepts of Carroll geometries, which arise as the limit of relativistic spacetimes in the vanishing speed of light regime. In this limit, light cones collapse along a timelike direction, resulting in a manifold equipped with a degenerate metric. Consequently, physics in such spacetimes exhibits peculiar properties. Despite this, the Carroll contraction is relevant to a wide range of applications, from flat-space holography to condensed matter physics. To complement this introduction, and depending on the audience’s interests, I can discuss Carroll affine connections, symmetry groups, conservation laws, and Carroll-invariant field theories.

Tue, 04 Mar 2025
13:00
L6

Irrelevant Perturbations in 1+1D Integrable Quantum Field Theory

Olalla Castro Alvaredo
(City St George's, University of London)
Abstract

In this talk I will review recent results on the development of a form factor program for integrable quantum field theories (IQFTs) perturbed by irrelevant operators. It has been known for a long time that under such perturbations integrability is preserved and that the two-body scattering phase gets deformed in a simple manner. The consequences of such a deformation are stark, leading to theories that exhibit a so-called Hagedorn transition and no UV completion. These phenomena manifest physically in several distinct ways. In our work we have mainly asked the question of how the deformation of the S-matrix translates into the correlation functions of the deformed theory. Does the scaling of correlators at long and short distances capture any of the "pathologies" mentioned above? Can our understanding of irrelevant perturbations tell us something about the space of IQFTs and about their form factors? In this talk I will answer these questions in the afirmative, summarising work in collaboration with Stefano Negro, Fabio Sailis and István M. Szécsényi.

Mon, 17 Feb 2025
13:00
L6

Introduction to the membrane theory of entanglement dynamics

Jiang Hanzhi
Abstract

The time evolution of quantum matter systems toward their thermal equilibria, characterized by their entanglement entropy (EE), is a question that permeates many areas of modern physics. The dynamic of EE in generic chaotic many-body systems has an effective description in terms of a minimal membrane described by its membrane tension function. For strongly coupled systems with a gravity dual, the membrane tension can be obtained by projecting the bulk Hubeny-Rangamani-Ryu-Takayanagi (HRT) surfaces to the boundary along constant infalling time. In this talk, I will introduce the membrane theory of entanglement dynamics, its generalization to 2d CFT, as well as several applications. Based on arXiv: 1803.10244 and arXiv: 2411.16542.

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