Zurich colloquium in mathematics

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Autumn Semester 2024

Date / Time Speaker Title Location
24 September 2024
16:30-18:15
Rupert Frank
Universität München
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Zurich Colloquium in Mathematics

Title The Wehrl entropy problem: mathematical physics meets complex analysis and representation theory
Speaker, Affiliation Rupert Frank , Universität München
Date, Time 24 September 2024, 16:30-18:15
Location KO2 F 150
Abstract The coherent state transform, under various names, appears in many fields of mathematics and physics. It is associated with representations of a group. In this talk we are concerned with the problem of minimizing the entropy of the coherent state transform and we explain how complex analysis can be used to achieve this in certain settings. We discuss various open questions
The Wehrl entropy problem: mathematical physics meets complex analysis and representation theoryread_more
KO2 F 150
15 October 2024
16:30-18:15
Dan Isaksen
Wayne State University
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Zurich Colloquium in Mathematics

Title Computation in homotopy theory
Speaker, Affiliation Dan Isaksen, Wayne State University
Date, Time 15 October 2024, 16:30-18:15
Location KO2 F 150
Abstract In part, the goal of homotopy theory is to compute algebraic invariants of topological objects. Of particular interest is the computation of homotopy groups of spheres. Any given result can typically be obtained in several completely distinct ways, using methods that have no visible consistency with each other. It is remarkable that there exists a solution to this highly overdetermined problem. Like many areas of pure mathematics, machine computation can be applied to great effect in this endeavor. I will discuss the history, current state of the art, and future prospects of machine computation in homotopy theory.
Computation in homotopy theoryread_more
KO2 F 150
26 November 2024
16:30-18:15
Rupert Klein
Freie Universität Berlin
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Zurich Colloquium in Mathematics

Title How mathematics helps structuring climate discussions
Speaker, Affiliation Rupert Klein, Freie Universität Berlin
Date, Time 26 November 2024, 16:30-18:15
Location KO2 F 150
Abstract Mathematics in climate research is often thought to be mainly a provider of techniques for solving the continuum mechanical equations for flows of the atmosphere and oceans, for the motion and evolution of Earth’s ice masses, and the like. Three examples will elucidate that there is a much wider range of opportunities. Climate modellers often employ reduced forms of “the continuum mechanical equations” to efficiently address their research questions of interest. The first example discusses how mathematical analysis can provide systematic guidelines for the regime of applicability of such reduced model equations. Physics-based computational models are well established for weather forecasting,which aims at deterministic prediction, and for climate scenario simulations, which aim at generating weather statics utilizing the hypothesis of ergodicity. Intermediate time scale predictions for, e.g., the occurance of El Niño events, fit into neither of these categories. Accordingly, physics-based models have difficulties reaching the predictive horizon desirable for agricultural planning and the like. Modern climate research has joined forces with economy and the social sciences to generate a scientific basis for informed political decisions in the face of global climate change. One major type of problems hampering progress of the related interdisciplinary research consists of often subtle language barriers. The third example describes how mathematical formalization of the notion of “vulnerability” has helped structuring related interdisciplinary research efforts.
How mathematics helps structuring climate discussionsread_more
KO2 F 150
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