Speaker: Søren Fuglede Jørgensen
2012.09.20 |
| Date | Fri 14 Sep |
| Time | 14:30 — 15:30 |
| Location | Aud. D4 (1531-219) |
Abstract
In this talk, we will discuss how ideas from quantum field theory have influenced mathematics during the last 20 years. Around 1990, the physicist Edward Witten realized that the partition function of Chern--Simons theory -- even if it is not mathematically defined -- is closely related to the Jones polynomial of knots in 3-space and could be used to define a topological invariant of 3-manifolds. Both Witten and Jones later received Fields medals for their work. We will see how this invariant, which ties together the fields of quantum physics, knot theory, low dimensional topology, and many other fields of mathematics, arises and how to make sense of it mathematically.
