Research Seminar in Mathematics (MTH G450 - 30757)
Organized by Professor Jonathan Weitsman
Guest Speaker: William Goldman
University of Maryland
Title:Deformation spaces of surface group representations
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: 509 Lake Hall
Pretalk I (1:00 - 2:00):Matrix algebra and curves on surfaces
Abstract: Curves on surfaces exhibit many interesting and surprising properties. On the one hand, homotopy classes of curves beginning and ending at a fixed basepoint form a group. On the other hand, closed curves which don't cross themselves determine
self-homeomorphisms. By representing the group by matrices, one can mix the
algebraic properties of matrices with the intersection properties of curves
to obtain spaces with interesting geometric properties and dynamical systems.
:
Break (2:00 - 2:30)
Research Talk (2:30 - 3:30): Deformation spaces of surface group representations.
Abstract: In this talk I will survey two closely related dynamical systems on the space of flat bundles over orientable surfaces. One is discreteand the other is continuous. The discrete dynamical system arises from the action of the mapping class
group. The continuous system is generated by Hamiltonian flows of character functions on the surface.
Department tea (3:30 - 4:00)
Research Talk (4:00 - 5:00): Continued research talk.
Discussion at 5:00 p.m. followed by dinner with the speaker.
Previous Talks:
Fall 2008:9/16, 9/23, 10/07,10/28,11/18,12/02
Spring 2009:01-27,02-24
Started: 23 September 2008 Last modified: 25 February 2009
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