Calendar

We will consider the following problem: if (C,x_1,…,x_n) is a fixed general pointed curve, and X is a fixed target variety with general points y_1,…,y_n, then how many maps f:C -> X in a given homology class are there, such that f(x_i)=y_i? When considered virtually in Gromov-Witten theory, the answer may be expressed in terms of the quantum cohomology of X, leading to explicit formulas in some cases (Buch-Pandharipande). The geometric question is more subtle, though in the presence of sufficient positivity, it is expected that the virtual answers are enumerative. I will give an overview of recent progress on various aspects of this problem, including joint work with Farkas, Pandharipande, and Cela, as well as work of other authors.

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/97335783449?pwd=S3U0eVdyODFEdzNaRXVEUTF3R3NwZz09

loci, equidistribution of Hecke translates of a curve in the moduli space of abelian varieties and equidistribution of some families of CM points in Shimura varieties. The results of this talk are joint work with Nicolas Tholozan.

Consider the set of Galois extensions L of Q whose Galois group is the quaternion group. For large X, Klüners counted extensions with |disc(L)| <= X. We discuss asymptotics when bounding invariants other than the discriminant.

One way that mathematics grows is by finding new questions to study beyond the standard topics of serious mathematical research. We give three examples, ranging from the recreational (how many digits in 6561101970383!, and how did I find this curious factorial? What’s the unusual feature of the “elementary” identity 12 + 21 + 27 + 38 + 44 + 53 = 2 + 5 + 11 + 22 + 33 + 48 + 74?) to a collaboration with faculty in the School of Public Health.

I will introduce a class of non-invertible topological defects in (3 + 1)d gauge theories whose fusion rules are the higher-dimensional analogs of those of the Kramers-Wannier defect in the (1 + 1)d critical Ising model. As in the lower-dimensional case, the presence of such non-invertible defects implies self-duality under a particular gauging of their discrete (higher-form) symmetries. Examples of theories with such a defect include SO(3) Yang-Mills (YM) at θ = π, N = 1 SO(3) super YM, and N = 4 SU(2) super YM at τ = i. I will also explain an analogous construction in (2+1)d, and give a number of examples in Chern-Simons-matter theories. This talk is based on https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.01141.

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/977347126
Password: cmsa

Slice a triply periodic wooden sculpture along an irrational plane. If you ink the cut surface and press it against a page, the pattern you print will be quasiperiodic. Patterns like these help physicists see how metals conduct electricity in strong magnetic fields. I’ll show you some block prints that imitate the printing process described above, and I’ll point out the visual features that reveal conductivity properties.

Zoom ID: 950 2372 5230 (Password: cmsa)

Interactive slides: https://www.ihes.fr/~fenyes/seeing/slices/

The (tree) amplituhedron was introduced in 2013 by Arkani-Hamed and Trnka in their study of N=4 SYM scattering amplitudes. A central conjecture in the field was to prove that the m=4 amplituhedron is triangulated by the images of certain positroid cells, called the BCFW cells. In this talk I will describe a resolution of this conjecture. The seminar is based on a recent joint work with Chaim Even-Zohar and Tsviqa Lakrec.

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/91799784675?pwd=MS9LV25DWk9RcmJoRVM0K3RGWkFRdz09

Password: 1251442

In metals, orbital motions of conduction electrons are quantized in magnetic fields, which is manifested by quantum oscillations in electrical resistivity. This Landau quantization is generally absent in insulators, in which all the electrons are localized. Here we report a notable exception in an insulator — ytterbium dodecaboride (YbB12). The resistivity of YbB12, despite much larger than that of usual metals, exhibits profound quantum oscillations under intense magnetic fields. This unconventional oscillation is shown to arise from the insulating bulk instead of conducting surface states. The large effective masses indicate strong correlation effects between electrons. Our result is the first discovery of quantum oscillations in the electrical resistivity of a strongly correlated insulator and will bring crucial insight into understanding the ground state in gapped Kondo systems.

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/977347126
Password: cmsa