Groups of Circle Diffeomorphisms


Book Description

In recent years scholars from a variety of branches of mathematics have made several significant developments in the theory of group actions. Groups of Circle Diffeomorphisms systematically explores group actions on the simplest closed manifold, the circle. As the group of circle diffeomorphisms is an important subject in modern mathematics, this book will be of interest to those doing research in group theory, dynamical systems, low dimensional geometry and topology, and foliation theory. The book is mostly self-contained and also includes numerous complementary exercises, making it an excellent textbook for undergraduate and graduate students.




Structure and Regularity of Group Actions on One-Manifolds


Book Description

This book presents the theory of optimal and critical regularities of groups of diffeomorphisms, from the classical work of Denjoy and Herman, up through recent advances. Beginning with an investigation of regularity phenomena for single diffeomorphisms, the book goes on to describes a circle of ideas surrounding Filipkiewicz's Theorem, which recovers the smooth structure of a manifold from its full diffeomorphism group. Topics covered include the simplicity of homeomorphism groups, differentiability of continuous Lie group actions, smooth conjugation of diffeomorphism groups, and the reconstruction of spaces from group actions. Various classical and modern tools are developed for controlling the dynamics of general finitely generated group actions on one-dimensional manifolds, subject to regularity bounds, including material on Thompson's group F, nilpotent groups, right-angled Artin groups, chain groups, finitely generated groups with prescribed critical regularities, and applications to foliation theory and the study of mapping class groups. The book will be of interest to researchers in geometric group theory.




Categories of Symmetries and Infinite-dimensional Groups


Book Description

There are many types of infinite-dimensional groups, most of which have been studied separately from each other since the 1950s. It is now possible to fit these apparently disparate groups into one coherent picture. With the first explicit construction of hidden structures (mantles and trains), Neretin is able to show how many infinite-dimensional groups are in fact only a small part of a much larger object, analogous to the way real numbers are embedded within complex numbers.




Infinite Dimensional Groups with Applications


Book Description

This volume records most of the talks given at the Conference on Infinite-dimensional Groups held at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at Berkeley, California, May 10-May 15, 1984, as a part of the special program on Kac-Moody Lie algebras. The purpose of the conference was to review recent developments of the theory of infinite-dimensional groups and its applications. The present collection concentrates on three very active, interrelated directions of the field: general Kac-Moody groups, gauge groups (especially loop groups) and diffeomorphism groups. I would like to express my thanks to the MSRI for sponsoring the meeting, to Ms. Faye Yeager for excellent typing, to the authors for their manuscripts, and to Springer-Verlag for publishing this volume. V. Kac INFINITE DIMENSIONAL GROUPS WITH APPLICATIONS CONTENTS The Lie Group Structure of M. Adams. T. Ratiu 1 Diffeomorphism Groups and & R. Schmid Invertible Fourier Integral Operators with Applications On Landau-Lifshitz Equation and E. Date 71 Infinite Dimensional Groups Flat Manifolds and Infinite D. S. Freed 83 Dimensional Kahler Geometry Positive-Energy Representations R. Goodman 125 of the Group of Diffeomorphisms of the Circle Instantons and Harmonic Maps M. A. Guest 137 A Coxeter Group Approach to Z. Haddad 157 Schubert Varieties Constructing Groups Associated to V. G. Kac 167 Infinite-Dimensional Lie Algebras I. Kaplansky 217 Harish-Chandra Modules Over the Virasoro Algebra & L. J. Santharoubane 233 Rational Homotopy Theory of Flag S.




Third Siberian School: Algebra and Analysis


Book Description

This book contains papers presented at the Third Siberian School: Algebra and Analysis, held in Irkutsk in the summer of 1989. Drawing 130 participants from all over the former Soviet Union, the school sought to acquaint Siberian and other mathematicians with the latest achievements in a wide variety of mathematical areas and to give young researchers an opportunity to present their work. The papers presented here range over topics in algebra, analysis, geometry, and topology.




The Geometry of Riemann Surfaces and Abelian Varieties


Book Description

Most of the papers in this book deal with the theory of Riemann surfaces (moduli problems, automorphisms, etc.), abelian varieties, theta functions, and modular forms. Some of the papers contain surveys on the recent results in the topics of current interest to mathematicians, whereas others contain new research results.




Geometry, Rigidity, and Group Actions


Book Description

The study of group actions is more than a hundred years old but remains to this day a vibrant and widely studied topic in a variety of mathematic fields. A central development in the last fifty years is the phenomenon of rigidity, whereby one can classify actions of certain groups, such as lattices in semi-simple Lie groups. This provides a way to classify all possible symmetries of important spaces and all spaces admitting given symmetries. Paradigmatic results can be found in the seminal work of George Mostow, Gergory Margulis, and Robert J. Zimmer, among others. The papers in Geometry, Rigidity, and Group Actions explore the role of group actions and rigidity in several areas of mathematics, including ergodic theory, dynamics, geometry, topology, and the algebraic properties of representation varieties. In some cases, the dynamics of the possible group actions are the principal focus of inquiry. In other cases, the dynamics of group actions are a tool for proving theorems about algebra, geometry, or topology. This volume contains surveys of some of the main directions in the field, as well as research articles on topics of current interest.




Advanced Lectures on General Relativity


Book Description

These lecture notes are intended for starting PhD students in theoretical physics who have a working knowledge of General Relativity. The four topics covered are: Surface charges as conserved quantities in theories of gravity; Classical and holographic features of three-dimensional Einstein gravity; Asymptotically flat spacetimes in four dimensions: BMS group and memory effects; The Kerr black hole: properties at extremality and quasi-normal mode ringing. Each topic starts with historical foundations and points to a few modern research directions.




Topics in Geometric Group Theory


Book Description

In this book, Pierre de la Harpe provides a concise and engaging introduction to geometric group theory, a new method for studying infinite groups via their intrinsic geometry that has played a major role in mathematics over the past two decades. A recognized expert in the field, de la Harpe adopts a hands-on approach, illustrating key concepts with numerous concrete examples. The first five chapters present basic combinatorial and geometric group theory in a unique and refreshing way, with an emphasis on finitely generated versus finitely presented groups. In the final three chapters, de la Harpe discusses new material on the growth of groups, including a detailed treatment of the "Grigorchuk group." Most sections are followed by exercises and a list of problems and complements, enhancing the book's value for students; problems range from slightly more difficult exercises to open research problems in the field. An extensive list of references directs readers to more advanced results as well as connections with other fields.