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Nikita Lvov

Random Walks arising in Random Matrix Theory

The cokernel of a large p-adic random matrix M is a random abelian p-group. Friedman and Washington showed that its distribution asymptotically tends to the well-known Cohen-Lenstra distribution. We study an irreducible Markov chain on the category of finite abelian p-groups, whose stationary measure is the Cohen-Lenstra distribution. This Markov chain arises when one studies the cokernels of corners of M. We show two surprising facts about this Markov chain. Firstly, it is reversible. Hence, one may regard it as a random walk on finite abelian p-groups. The proof of reversibility also explains the appearance of the Cohen-Lenstra distribution in the context of random matrices. Secondly, we can explicitly determine the spectrum of the infinite transition matrix associated to this Markov chain. Finally, we show how these results generalize to random matrices over general pro-finite local rings.

MC 5403

Beining Mu, University of Waterloo

Algorithmic randomness and Turing degrees 4

In this seminar we will talk about the Hyperimmune-Free Basis Theorem and its application to understanding the distribution of 1-random Turing degrees. In addition, we will also cover Demuth's Theorem and its applications.

MC 5403

Caleb Suan, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hull-Strominger Systems and Geometric Flows

The Hull-Strominger system is a system of partial differential equations stemming from heterotic string theory in physics. Mathematically, these equations lead us to consider special structures with torsion and have been proposed as a natural generalization of the Ricci-flat condition on non-Kahler Calabi-Yau threefolds. In this talk, we discuss a geometric flow approach to the system, known as the anomaly flow. We shall also look at 7-dimensional analogues of the system and flow.

MC 5417

Matthew Young, Rutgers University

The shifted convolution problem for Siegel modular forms

The shifted convolution problem for Fourier coefficients of cusp forms has seen a lot of attention due to applications towards moments of L-functions and the subconvexity problem. However, the problem for higher rank automorphic forms (beyond GL_2) has been a notorious bottleneck towards progress on the sixth moment of the Riemann zeta function. In this talk, I will discuss recent progress on the problem for Siegel cusp forms on Sp_4. This is joint work with Wing Hong (Joseph) Leung.

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Evan Sundbo, University of Waterloo

Broken Toric Varieties and Balloon Animal Maps

We will see the definition and some examples of broken toric varieties and balloon animal maps between them. After an overview of some of the many different areas in which they appear, we look at how their geometry can be studied via complexes of sheaves on an associated complex of polytopes. This yields results such as a version of the Decomposition Theorem and some explicit formulas for dimensions of rational cohomology groups of broken toric varieties.

MC 5417

Duncan McCoy, Université du Québec à Montréal

The unknotting number of positive alternating knots

The unknotting number is simultaneously one of the simplest classical knot invariants to define and one of the most challenging to compute. This intractability stems from the fact that typically one has no idea which diagrams admit a collection of crossing changes realizing the unknotting number for a given knot. For positive alternating knots, one can show that if the unknotting number equals the lower bound coming from the classical knot signature, then the unknotting number can be calculated from an alternating diagram. I will explain this result along with some of the main tools in the proof, which are primarily from smooth 4-dimensional topology. This is joint work with Paolo Aceto and JungHwan Park.

MC 5417

Kostiantyn Drach, Universitat de Barcelona

Reverse inradius inequalities for ball-bodies

A ball-body, also called a $\lambda$-convex body, is an intersection of congruent Euclidean balls of radius $1/\lambda$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n \geq 2$. Such bodies arise naturally in optimization problems in combinatorial and convex geometry, in particular when the number of generating balls is finite. In recent years, ball-bodies have also played a central role in an active research program on reverse isoperimetric-type problems under curvature constraints. The general objective of this program is to understand how prescribed curvature bounds restrict the extremal behavior of geometric functionals (e.g., volume, surface area, or mean width), and to identify sharp inequalities between them that reverse the existing classical isoperimetric-type inequalities. In this talk, we focus on the inradius minimization problem for $\lambda$-convex bodies with prescribed surface area or prescribed mean width. Here, the inradius of a convex body $K$ is the radius of the largest ball contained in $K$. In this setting, we establish sharp lower bounds for the inradius and show that equality is attained only by lenses, that is, intersections of two balls of radius $1/\lambda$. This solves a conjecture of Karoly Bezdek. We will outline the main ideas of the proof and pose several open problems. This is joint work with Kateryna Tatarko.

MC 5417

Carlo Pagano, Concordia University

Reconstructing curves from their Galois set of points

Mazur—Rubin asked to what extent one can reconstruct a curve C over a number field K from its set of points over bar(K), viewed as a Galois set. They asked the same question specifically about the set of fields where C acquires new points and gave evidence for a positive answer for curves of genus 0. In this talk we will present upcoming work with Zev Klagsbrun where we provide a positive answer for a generic pair of elliptic curves with full 2-torsion over a number field. The method of proof uses the combination of additive combinatorics and descent introduced in joint work of the speaker and Koymans in 2024. I will overview several other recent results obtained, by a number of authors, with that method.

MC 5479

Fateme Peimany and/or Jules Ribolzi, University of Waterloo

Meromorphic groups

We redefine meromorphic groups as group objects in the category of abstract meromorphic varieties, and check this agrees with the notion introduced by Pillay-Scanlon.

MC 5479

Leigh Foster, University of Waterloo

Learning Seminar on lozenge tilings and the single dimer model

The study of lozenge tilings and of the dimer model is a well-established area of research, going back to the 1960's and

still subject to active research at present. (Some references, also showing connections to other directions of research,

are listed below.) We will start the learning seminar on this topic with a series of three meetings giving an introduction

to the dimer model in its single-dimer version, and considered on a finite hexagonal grid.

--In the first meeting, on January 27, we will introduce the single dimer model and we will discuss its connection to other

combinatorial objects, with particular emphasis on the connection between the dimer model and the notion of "stack of

boxes".

--In the second meeting, on February 3, we will discuss enumeration questions related to the configurations introduced

in the preceding week.

--The third meeting, on February 10, will be open to requests from the audience. One potential direction for this meeting

will be to look at some probabilistic results on random dimer configurations of a given shape, as well as various limit shape

phenomena, pointing to the study od some intriguing objects called "amoebas".

The learning seminar is intended to continue after the reading week, covering the more recent research topic of double-dimer

and more generally multiple-dimer models.

The seminar is addressed to all interested audiences, with very few assumptions regarding background knowledge.

Come, listen and ask questions - everyone is welcome, and interruptions are hoped for!

MC 5403