Seminar Schedule
October 11 - 15, 2004

All Seminars are held in Boyd Graduate Studies Bldg. unless otherwise noted.

MONDAY, October 11, 2004

Algebra
2:30-3:30p.m., Room 410
Speaker: Anurag Singh, School of Mathematics, Georgia Tech
Title of talk: Finiteness properties of local cohomology modules
Abstract: I will introduce the local cohomology theory of Grothendieck,
and talk about some applications, examples, and open questions. These
local cohomology modules are usually not finitely generated over the base
ring, but often have useful finiteness properties. There are no real
prerequisites other than a general interest in algebraic objects such as
polynomial rings.

Probability Theory
2:45-4:00pm, Room 302
Speaker: M. Pemy, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Viscosity solution characterization of American options

Faculty and Graduate Social
3:00 p.m., Room 409
Coffee, Cookies, Tea

VIGRE Algebraic Geometry Group
3:30-4:30 p.m., Room 304

Topology
3:30-4:30pm, Room 326
Speaker: Ken Baker, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Osvath-Szabo Invariants (cont.)

Lie Theory
3:30p.m., Room 303
No Meeting this week

TUESDAY, October 12, 2004

VIGRE Graduate Student Seminar
2:00p.m., Room 304
Speaker: R. Varley, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Derivation of Maxwell's equations by gauge theory
Abstract: This talk will be the conclusion of my previous talk, but I will give a self-contained presentation. I will define U(n)-connections (as covariant derivatives on n-component vector functions) and their curvature. The norm-squared of the curvature is then the Lagrangian density whose integral is the famous "Yang-Mills functional". I will calculate the Euler-Lagrange equations for the U(1)-connections and show the relationship with Maxwell's system of equations for the electromagnetic field.

Dynamics on Berkovich Space
3:30-5:30p.m., Room 326
Speaker: Matt Baker, Georgia Tech
Title of talk: "Dynamics on Berkovich d'apres Rivera-Letelier", continued

Joint Analysis Seminar
3:00p.m., Georgia Tech, Skilles
Speaker: Akos Magyar, University of Georgia
Title of talk: On distance sets of large sets in Z^n
Abstract: A result of Katznelso and Weiss says that all distances occur in a measurable set of R^n of positive
density. We prove an analogous result for subsets of integer lattice Z^n


WEDNESDAY, October 13, 2004

Algebraic Geometry
2:30-3:45 p.m., Room 410
Speaker: William Graham, University of Georgia
Title of talk: "Riemann-Roch for quotient orbifolds"
Abstract: The Hirzebruch-Riemann-Roch theorem gives a formula for
computing the Euler characteristic of a vector bundle (or coherent
sheaf) on a smooth projective variety, in terms of cohomological data
associated to the bundle and variety. This was extended to orbifolds by Atiyah
and Kawasaki. In this talk I will discuss the relationship of these questions with an
equivariant Riemann-Roch theorem, for orbifolds which are quotients by
torus actions. This is joint work with Dan Edidin.

VIGRE – Cardiac Physiology
2:30p.m., Room 323

VIGRE – Clifford Algebras
2:30p.m., Room 322

Faculty and Graduate Social
3:00 p.m., Room 409
Coffee, Cookies, Tea

Number Theory
3:45-5:15pm, Room 304
Speaker: Su-ion Ih, University of Georgia
Title of talk: The arithmetic of varieties II

THURSDAY, October 14, 2004

VIGRE - Rational points on curves
2:00p.m., Room 304

FRIDAY, October 15, 2004

Student Arithmetic/Algebraic Geometry Seminar
12:20p.m., Room 326
Speaker: Charles Pooh, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Capacity Theory Part II, Explicit Fekette-Szego theorem.

VIGRE-Algebra
2:30p.m., Room 410
Speaker: Daniel Nakano, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Support varieties for symmetric groups

Spline Analysis
2:30-3:30p.m., Room 303
No Meeting this week

Geometry
2:30 p.m., Room 326
Speaker: Ted Shifrin, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Surfaces of Revolution: From Archimedes to Symplectic Geometry.
Abstract: This talk will be elementary and aimed at graduate students. Did you know that if we slice a sphere with parallel planes, the area of the resulting "zone" depends only on the distance between the planes? A modern interpretation of this leads to a characterization of the sphere and a beautiful way of interpreting the curvature of a surface of revolution, among other things.

In a follow-up talk next week, Malcolm Adams will show how these concepts fit more generally in the domain of symplectic geometry, which connects mathematics and physics in a powerful and elegant way.

Wavelet Analysis
3:30-4:30 p.m., Room 303
Speaker: Okkyung Cho, University of Georgia
Title of talk: Factorization of Laurent Polynomial Matrices
Abstract: This is a continuation of my talk on factorization of laurent polynomial matrices. We deal with the case that entrices has complex poles.