Thu, 26 Nov 2015

12:00 - 13:00
L6

Non-orientable line defects in the Landau-de Gennes theory of nematic liquid crystals

Giacomo Canevari
(University of Oxford)
Abstract
Nematic liquid crystals are composed by rod-shaped molecules with long-range orientation order. These materials admit topological defect lines, some of which are associated with non-orientable configurations. In this talk, we consider the Landau-de Gennes variational theory of nematics. We study the asymptotic behaviour of minimizers as the elastic constant tends to zero. We assume that the energy of minimizers is of the same order as the logarithm of the elastic constant. This happens, for instance, if the boundary datum has finitely many singular points. We prove convergence to a locally harmonic map with singularities of dimension one (non-orientable line defects) and, possibly, zero (point defects).
Thu, 12 Nov 2015

12:00 - 13:00
L6

Energy decay in a 1D coupled heat-wave system

David Seifert
(University of Oxford)
Abstract

We study a simple one-dimensional coupled heat wave system, obtaining a sharp estimate for the rate of energy decay of classical solutions. Our approach is based on the asymptotic theory of $C_0$-semigroups and in particular on a result due to Borichev and Tomilov (2010), which reduces the problem of estimating the rate of energy decay to finding a growth bound for the resolvent of the semigroup generator. This technique not only leads to an optimal result, it is also simpler than the methods used by other authors in similar situations and moreover extends to problems on higher-dimensional domains. Joint work with C.J.K. Batty (Oxford) and L. Paunonen (Tampere).

Thu, 03 Dec 2015
17:30
L6

Near-henselian fields - valuation theory in the language of rings

Franziska Jahnke
(Münster)
Abstract

Abstract: (Joint work with Sylvy Anscombe) We consider four properties 
of a field K related to the existence of (definable) henselian 
valuations on K and on elementarily equivalent fields and study the 
implications between them. Surprisingly, the full pictures look very 
different in equicharacteristic and mixed characteristic.

Thu, 19 Nov 2015
17:30
L6

Real, p-adic, and motivic oscillatory integrals

Raf Cluckers
(Lille/Leuven)
Abstract

In the real, p-adic and motivic settings, we will present recent results on oscillatory integrals. In the reals, they are related to subanalytic functions and their Fourier transforms. In the p-adic and motivic case, there are furthermore transfer principles and applications in the Langlands program. This is joint work with Comte, Gordon, Halupczok, Loeser, Miller, Rolin, and Servi, in various combinations. 
 

Thu, 12 Nov 2015
17:30
L6

Restricted trochotomy in dimension 1

Dmitri Sustretov
(Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Abstract

Let M be an algebraic curve over an algebraically closed field and let
$(M, ...)$ be a strongly minimal non-locally modular structure with
basic relations definable in the full Zariski language on $M$. In this
talk I will present the proof of the fact that $(M, ...)$ interprets
an algebraically closed field.

Thu, 05 Nov 2015
17:30
L6

Decidability of the Zero Problem for Exponential Polynomials

James Worrell
(Computing Laboratory, Oxford)
Abstract

We consider the decision problem of determining whether an exponential
polynomial has a real zero.  This is motivated by reachability questions
for continuous-time linear dynamical systems, where exponential
polynomials naturally arise as solutions of linear differential equations.

The decidability of the Zero Problem is open in general and our results
concern restricted versions.  We show decidability of a bounded
variant---asking for a zero in a given bounded interval---subject to
Schanuel's conjecture.  In the unbounded case, we obtain partial
decidability results, using Baker's Theorem on linear forms in logarithms
as a key tool.  We show also that decidability of the Zero Problem in full
generality would entail powerful new effectiveness results concerning
Diophantine approximation of algebraic numbers.

This is joint work with Ventsislav Chonev and Joel Ouaknine.

Thu, 29 Oct 2015
17:30
L6

Joint Number Theroy/Logic Seminar: A minimalistic p-adic Artin-Schreier

Florian Pop
(University of Pennsylvania)
Abstract

In contrast to the Artin-Schreier Theorem, its p-adic analog(s) involve infinite Galois theory, e.g., the absolute Galois group of p-adic fields.  We plan to give a characterization of p-adic p-Henselian valuations in an essentially finite way. This relates to the Z/p metabelian form of the birational p-adic Grothendieck section conjecture.

Thu, 22 Oct 2015
17:30
L6

Definability in algebraic extensions of p-adic fields

Angus Macintyre
(Queen Mary University London)
Abstract

In the course of work with Jamshid Derakhshan on definability in adele rings, we came upon various problems about definability and model completeness for possibly infinite dimensional algebraic extensions of p-adic fields (sometimes involving uniformity across p). In some cases these problems had been closely approached in the literature but never  explicitly considered.I will explain what we have proved, and try to bring out many big gaps in our understanding of these matters. This  seems appropriate just over 50 years after the breakthroughs of Ax-Kochen and Ershov.

Thu, 29 Oct 2015

12:00 - 13:00
L6

Quantitative flatness results for nonlocal minimal surfaces in low dimensions

Eleonora Cinti
(WIAS Berlin)
Abstract

 

We consider minimizers of nonlocal functionals, like the fractional perimeter, or the fractional anisotropic perimeter, in low dimensions. It is known that a minimizer for the nonlocal perimeter in $\mathbb{R}^2 $ is necessarily an halfplane. We give a quantitative version of this result, in the following sense: we prove that minimizers in a ball of radius $R$ are nearly flat in $B_1$, when $R$ is large enough. More precisely, we establish a quantitative estimate on how "close" these sets are (in the $L^{1}$ -sense and in the $L^{\infty}$ -sense) to be a halfplane, depending on $R$. This is a joint work with Joaquim Serra and Enrico Valdinoci.
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