Riemann Surfaces and Generalized Theta Functions


Book Description

The investigation of the relationships between compact Riemann surfaces (al gebraic curves) and their associated complex tori (Jacobi varieties) has long been basic to the study both of Riemann surfaces and of complex tori. A Riemann surface is naturally imbedded as an analytic submanifold in its associated torus; and various spaces of linear equivalence elasses of divisors on the surface (or equivalently spaces of analytic equivalence elasses of complex line bundies over the surface), elassified according to the dimensions of the associated linear series (or the dimensions of the spaces of analytic cross-sections), are naturally realized as analytic subvarieties of the associated torus. One of the most fruitful of the elassical approaches to this investigation has been by way of theta functions. The space of linear equivalence elasses of positive divisors of order g -1 on a compact connected Riemann surface M of genus g is realized by an irreducible (g -1)-dimensional analytic subvariety, an irreducible hypersurface, of the associated g-dimensional complex torus J(M); this hyper 1 surface W- r;;;, J(M) is the image of the natural mapping Mg- -+J(M), and is g 1 1 birationally equivalent to the (g -1)-fold symmetric product Mg- jSg-l of the Riemann surface M.




Probability Measures on Locally Compact Groups


Book Description

Probability measures on algebraic-topological structures such as topological semi groups, groups, and vector spaces have become of increasing importance in recent years for probabilists interested in the structural aspects of the theory as well as for analysts aiming at applications within the scope of probability theory. In order to obtain a natural framework for a first systematic presentation of the most developed part of the work done in the field we restrict ourselves to prob ability measures on locally compact groups. At the same time we stress the non Abelian aspect. Thus the book is concerned with a set of problems which can be regarded either from the probabilistic or from the harmonic-analytic point of view. In fact, it seems to be the synthesis of these two viewpoints, the initial inspiration coming from probability and the refined techniques from harmonic analysis which made this newly established subject so fascinating. The goal of the presentation is to give a fairly complete treatment of the central limit problem for probability measures on a locally compact group. In analogy to the classical theory the discussion is centered around the infinitely divisible probability measures on the group and their relationship to the convergence of infinitesimal triangular systems.




Riemann Surfaces


Book Description

The present volume is the culmination often years' work separately and joint ly. The idea of writing this book began with a set of notes for a course given by one of the authors in 1970-1971 at the Hebrew University. The notes were refined serveral times and used as the basic content of courses given sub sequently by each of the authors at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the Hebrew University. In this book we present the theory of Riemann surfaces and its many dif ferent facets. We begin from the most elementary aspects and try to bring the reader up to the frontier of present-day research. We treat both open and closed surfaces in this book, but our main emphasis is on the compact case. In fact, Chapters III, V, VI, and VII deal exclusively with compact surfaces. Chapters I and II are preparatory, and Chapter IV deals with uniformization. All works on Riemann surfaces go back to the fundamental results of Rie mann, Jacobi, Abel, Weierstrass, etc. Our book is no exception. In addition to our debt to these mathematicians of a previous era, the present work has been influenced by many contemporary mathematicians.




A Course in Complex Analysis and Riemann Surfaces


Book Description

Complex analysis is a cornerstone of mathematics, making it an essential element of any area of study in graduate mathematics. Schlag's treatment of the subject emphasizes the intuitive geometric underpinnings of elementary complex analysis that naturally lead to the theory of Riemann surfaces. The book begins with an exposition of the basic theory of holomorphic functions of one complex variable. The first two chapters constitute a fairly rapid, but comprehensive course in complex analysis. The third chapter is devoted to the study of harmonic functions on the disk and the half-plane, with an emphasis on the Dirichlet problem. Starting with the fourth chapter, the theory of Riemann surfaces is developed in some detail and with complete rigor. From the beginning, the geometric aspects are emphasized and classical topics such as elliptic functions and elliptic integrals are presented as illustrations of the abstract theory. The special role of compact Riemann surfaces is explained, and their connection with algebraic equations is established. The book concludes with three chapters devoted to three major results: the Hodge decomposition theorem, the Riemann-Roch theorem, and the uniformization theorem. These chapters present the core technical apparatus of Riemann surface theory at this level. This text is intended as a detailed, yet fast-paced intermediate introduction to those parts of the theory of one complex variable that seem most useful in other areas of mathematics, including geometric group theory, dynamics, algebraic geometry, number theory, and functional analysis. More than seventy figures serve to illustrate concepts and ideas, and the many problems at the end of each chapter give the reader ample opportunity for practice and independent study.




Modern Methods in Complex Analysis (AM-137), Volume 137


Book Description

The fifteen articles composing this volume focus on recent developments in complex analysis. Written by well-known researchers in complex analysis and related fields, they cover a wide spectrum of research using the methods of partial differential equations as well as differential and algebraic geometry. The topics include invariants of manifolds, the complex Neumann problem, complex dynamics, Ricci flows, the Abel-Radon transforms, the action of the Ricci curvature operator, locally symmetric manifolds, the maximum principle, very ampleness criterion, integrability of elliptic systems, and contact geometry. Among the contributions are survey articles, which are especially suitable for readers looking for a comprehensive, well-presented introduction to the most recent important developments in the field. The contributors are R. Bott, M. Christ, J. P. D'Angelo, P. Eyssidieux, C. Fefferman, J. E. Fornaess, H. Grauert, R. S. Hamilton, G. M. Henkin, N. Mok, A. M. Nadel, L. Nirenberg, N. Sibony, Y.-T. Siu, F. Treves, and S. M. Webster.




Encyclopaedia of Mathematics


Book Description

This ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF MATHEMATICS aims to be a reference work for all parts of mathe matics. It is a translation with updates and editorial comments of the Soviet Mathematical Encyclopaedia published by 'Soviet Encyclopaedia Publishing House' in five volumes in 1977-1985. The annotated translation consists of ten volumes including a special index volume. There are three kinds of articles in this ENCYCLOPAEDIA. First of all there are survey-type articles dealing with the various main directions in mathematics (where a rather fme subdivi sion has been used). The main requirement for these articles has been that they should give a reasonably complete up-to-date account of the current state of affairs in these areas and that they should be maximally accessible. On the whole, these articles should be understandable to mathematics students in their first specialization years, to graduates from other mathematical areas and, depending on the specific subject, to specialists in other domains of science, en gineers and teachers of mathematics. These articles treat their material at a fairly general level and aim to give an idea of the kind of problems, techniques and concepts involved in the area in question. They also contain background and motivation rather than precise statements of precise theorems with detailed definitions and technical details on how to carry out proofs and constructions. The second kind of article, of medium length, contains more detailed concrete problems, results and techniques.




Algebraic Geometry


Book Description




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.




Rank One Higgs Bundles and Representations of Fundamental Groups of Riemann Surfaces


Book Description

This expository article details the theory of rank one Higgs bundles over a closed Riemann surface $X$ and their relation to representations of the fundamental group of $X$. The authors construct an equivalence between the deformation theories of flat connections and Higgs pairs. This provides an identification of moduli spaces arising in different contexts. The moduli spaces are real Lie groups. From each context arises a complex structure, and the different complex structures define a hyperkähler structure. The twistor space, real forms, and various group actions are computed explicitly in terms of the Jacobian of $X$. The authors describe the moduli spaces and their geometry in terms of the Riemann period matrix of $X$.




Conformal Field Theory


Book Description

Conformal field theory is an elegant and powerful theory in the field of high energy physics and statistics. In fact, it can be said to be one of the greatest achievements in the development of this field. Presented in two dimensions, this book is designed for students who already have a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, field theory and general relativity. The main idea used throughout the book is that conformal symmetry causes both classical and quantum integrability. Instead of concentrating on the numerous applications of the theory, the author puts forward a discussion of the general methods of conformal field theory as a physical theory. Hence the book provides in a self-contained way the necessary knowledge and “conformal” intuition which underline the various applications of conformal field theory. It is aimed to assist students and professionals in the study of the theory from its first principles and in applying the methods in their own research. The first of its kind, this book promises to give a detailed and comprehensive insight into the workings of conformal field theory.