Winter Semester 2005-06

Seminar in Geometric Analysis: Geometric Heat Flows


First meeting: Donnerstag 15-17, HG G26.3, 27. Okt 2005 date corrected! with my apologies
Meetings: Donnerstags 15-17, HG G26.3
Office hours (Ilmanen): Mondays 13.30, HG G63.2
Office hours (Müller): email him (see below)
Wahlfächer: Geometrie, Analysis
Jahrgang: 3., 4.
Voraussetszungen: Differentialgeometrie I (can be concurrent if you are very brave)
Schedule of talks: click here

A geometric heat flow is a parabolic equation that makes some geometric object evolve, typically toward an ideal, quiescent state (often highly symmetrical), or towards something shocking like a singularity. A good example is the curve shortening flow, whereby each point of a plane curve moves with speed equal to its curvature. The subject has "heated up" recently with the application of the Ricci flow to the classification of 3-manifolds and other geometric-topological problems.

We will read a few of the classic papers in the subject. The seminar is aimed at undergraduates (3. and 4. semester). Talks may be given in either language.

Important note: the seminar will be held if there are at least 8 teilnehmer. Otherwise I will offer semesterarbeiten.

Contact:

Tom Ilmanen, heatflow2005/at/hotmail.com, HG G63.2, 044-632-5443
Reto Müller, reto.mueller/at/math.ethz.ch, HG 36.1, 044-632-3445 (assistant)


T. Ilmanen, Math Dept, ETH, September 2005