Wed, 25 Oct 2023
17:00
Lecture Theatre 1

Does Life know about quantum mechanics? - Jim Al-Khalili

Jim Al-Khalili
(University of Surrey)
Further Information

Oxford Mathematics Roger Penrose Public Lecture

Does Life know about quantum mechanics? Jim Al-Khalili

Physicists and chemists are used to dealing with quantum mechanics, but biologists have thus far got away without having to worry about this strange yet powerful theory of the subatomic world. However, times are changing. There is now solid evidence that enzymes use quantum tunnelling to accelerate chemical reactions, while plants and bacteria use a quantum trick in photosynthesis – sending lumps of sunlight energy in multiple directions at once. It even appears that some animals have the ability to use quantum entanglement – what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance” – as a compass to ‘see’ the earth’s magnetic field. In our research at the University of Surrey we are discovering that life may even have evolved mechanisms to control genetic mutations caused by quantum tunnelling of protons between strands of DNA. Welcome to the exciting new field of quantum biology.

Jim Al-Khalili CBE FRS is an academic, author and broadcaster. He holds a Distinguished Chair in Theoretical Physics at the University of Surrey where he conducts research in quantum physics. He has written fifteen books on popular science, between them translated into over twenty-six languages. He is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries and the long-running BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific.

Please email @email to register to attend in person.

The lecture will be broadcast on the Oxford Mathematics YouTube Channel on Wednesday 15 November at 5pm and any time after (no need to register for the online version).

The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.

Mon, 07 May 2018

16:00 - 17:00
L4

Damped wave equations with quintic nonlinearities in bounded domains: asymptotic regularity and attractors

Sergey Zelik
(University of Surrey)
Abstract

We discuss the recent achievements in the attractors theory for damped wave equations in bounded domains which are related with Strichartz type estimates. In particular, we present the results related with the well-posedness and asymptotic smoothness of the solution semigroup in the case of critical quintic nonlinearity. The non-autonomous case will be also considered.
 

Thu, 26 Nov 2015

16:00 - 17:00
L5

On the Central Limit Theorem for the number of steps in the Euclidean algorithm

Ian Morris
(University of Surrey)
Abstract

The number of steps required by the Euclidean algorithm to find the greatest common divisor of a pair of integers $u,v$ with $1<u<v<n$ has been investigated since at least the 16th century, with an asymptotic for the mean number of steps being found independently by H. Heilbronn and J.D. Dixon in around 1970. It was subsequently shown by D. Hensley in 1994 that the number of steps asymptotically follows a normal distribution about this mean. Existing proofs of this fact rely on extensive effective estimates on the Gauss-Kuzman-Wirsing operator which run to many dozens of pages. I will describe how this central limit theorem can be obtained instead by a much shorter Tauberian argument. If time permits, I will discuss some related work on the number of steps for the binary Euclidean algorithm.

Mon, 28 Oct 2013

17:00 - 18:00
L6

Low-regularity Riemannian metrics and the positive mass theorem

James Grant
(University of Surrey)
Abstract

We show that the positive mass theorem holds for

asymptotically flat, $n$-dimensional Riemannian manifolds with a metric

that is continuous, lies in the Sobolev space $W^{2, n/2}_{loc}$, and

has non-negative scalar curvature in the distributional sense. Our

approach requires an analysis of smooth approximations to the metric,

and a careful control of elliptic estimates for a related conformal

transformation problem. If the metric lies in $W^{2, p}_{loc}$ for

$p&gt;n/2$, then we show that our metrics may be approximated locally

uniformly by smooth metrics with non-negative scalar curvature.

This talk is based on joint work with N. Tassotti and conversations with

J.J. Bevan.

Mon, 20 May 2013

17:00 - 18:00
Gibson 1st Floor SR

Analysis of some nonlinear PDEs from multi-scale geophysical applications

Bin Cheng
(University of Surrey)
Abstract

This talk is regarding PDE systems from geophysical applications with multiple time scales, in which linear skew-self-adjoint operators of size 1/epsilon gives rise to highly oscillatory solutions. Analysis is performed in justifying the limiting dynamics as epsilon goes to zero; furthermore, the analysis yields estimates on the difference between the multiscale solution and the limiting solution. We will introduce a simple yet effective time-averaging technique which is especially useful in general domains where Fourier analysis is not applicable.

Mon, 14 Jan 2013

17:00 - 18:00
Gibson 1st Floor SR

N-covering stationary points and constrained variational problems

Jonathan Bevan
(University of Surrey)
Abstract

In this talk we show how degree N maps of the form $u_{N}(z) = \frac{z^{N}}{|z|^{N-1}}$ arise naturally as stationary points of functionals like the Dirichlet energy. We go on to show that the $u_{N}$ are minimizers of related variational problems, including one whose associated Euler-Lagrange equation bears a striking resemblance to a system studied by N. Meyers in the 60s, and another where the constraint $\det \nabla u = 1$ a.e. plays a prominent role.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012

12:00 - 13:00
L3

Holomorphic blocks in 3 dimensions

Sara Pasquetti
(University of Surrey)
Abstract
We show that sphere partition functions and indices of 3 dimensional, N = 2, gauge theories can be decomposed into a sum of products of a universal set of holomorphic blocks. The blocks count BPS states of a theory on R2 × S1 and are in one-to-one correspondence with the theory’s massive vacua. The blocks turn out to have a wealth of surprising properties such as a Stokes phenomenon and have interesting dual interpretations in analytically continued Chern-Simons theory and open topological strings.
Mon, 22 Oct 2012

12:00 - 13:00

A Metric for Heterotic Moduli

Jock McOrist
(University of Surrey)
Abstract
Even once the F-theory dust has settled, the heterotic string remains a viable route to N=1 d=4 phenomenology and is a fertile ground for developing the mathematics of holomorphic vector bundles. Within this context, there has been recent progress in using worldsheet techniques to understand the F-terms of certain heterotic compactifications. Less is understood about their D-term cousins. In this talk I will describe some steps towards rectifying this, writing down a moduli space metric for vector bundle deformations and describing some of its properties. Such metrics are relevant physically ( to normalise Yukawa couplings) as well as in the mathematics of vector bundles (they extend the metric of Kobayashi).
Subscribe to University of Surrey