Algebraic Geometry in Spectral Theory

Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM)

February 24, 2023 - February 26, 2023
Friday, February 24, 2023
  • 8:50 - 9:00 am EST
    Welcome
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Session Chair
    • Brendan Hassett, ICERM/Brown University
  • 9:00 - 9:45 am EST
    From spectral theory to algebraic geometry through discrete periodic operators
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Stephen Shipman, Louisiana State University
    • Session Chair
    • Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University
  • 10:00 - 10:30 am EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 10:30 - 11:15 am EST
    Some relevant algebraic geometry and toric varieties
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University
    • Session Chair
    • Stephen Shipman, Louisiana State University
  • 11:30 am - 12:30 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 12:30 - 2:00 pm EST
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 2:45 pm EST
    Irreducibility of varieties associated with periodic Schr\"odinger operators
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Jake Fillman, Texas State University
    • Session Chair
    • Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University
    Abstract
    We will discuss Bloch and Fermi varieties associated with Schr\"odinger operators and some works concerning their irreducibility.
  • 3:00 - 3:30 pm EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 3:30 - 5:00 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 5:00 - 6:30 pm EST
    Reception
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
Saturday, February 25, 2023
  • 9:00 - 9:45 am EST
    Finite quantum graphs and algebraic geometry
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Lior Alon, MIT
    • Session Chair
    • Stephen Shipman, Louisiana State University
    Abstract
    Let G be a finite graph of N edges. A finite standard quantum graph (G,L), with L=(L_1,…,L_N), is a collection of N intervals e_j=[0,L_j] glued at their endpoints, corresponding to the edges of G, equipped with the one-dimensional Laplacian (2ed derivative edgewise) that acts on functions that satisfy standard vertex conditions. We will be interested in this operator's spectral properties (eigenvalues and eigenfunctions) and their dependence on G and L. For a fixed G, its ``Secular Manifold’’ S_G is the set of points (e^{ikL_1},…, e^{ikL_N}) in the N-dimensional torus, such that k^2 is an eigenvalue of (G,L). The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of (G,L), for any L, are determined by intersections of a curve depending on L with S_G. This allows to decouple spectral properties into G and L dependence and provides an algebraic toolkit for spectral geometry on quantum graphs. After providing the background and defining the secular manifold, I will review previous results: spectral gap distribution, nodal count distribution, and the arithmetic structure of the spectrum. I will discuss the role of the secular manifold in those results, and some open conjectures that may benefit from investigating the algebraic structure and Morse structure of this variety.
  • 10:00 - 10:30 am EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 10:30 - 11:15 am EST
    Density of States for discrete Schrodinger operators: homological techniques and free resolutions.
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Hal Schenck, Auburn University
    • Session Chair
    • Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University
    Abstract
    In recent work, Kravaris uses computes the Density of States for discrete Schrodinger operators as the (normalized) rank of a certain module over the ring of Laurent polynomials. I will discuss some of the computational and homological tools used in his result.
  • 11:30 am - 12:30 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 12:30 - 2:00 pm EST
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 3:30 - 4:00 pm EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 4:00 - 4:45 pm EST
    Spectral band edges of discrete and continuous periodic operators via analytic methods.
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Speaker
    • Ilya Kachkovskiy, Michigan State University
    • Session Chair
    • Stephen Shipman, Louisiana State University
    Abstract
    I will discuss analytic methods of showing that the level sets of spectral band functions at the edges of spectral bands have dimension at most $d-2$, where $d$ is the dimension of the lattice of periods. The approach works in the continuum for $d=2$ and for a large class of discrete Schrodinger operators in all dimensions. I will also summarize some current open questions in the area. The results in the talk are based on joint works with N. Filonov.
Sunday, February 26, 2023
  • 9:00 - 9:45 am EST
    Algebraic and analytic geometry problems in spectral theory of periodic media
    11th Floor Lecture Hall
    • Virtual Speaker
    • Peter Kuchment, Texas A & M University
    • Session Chair
    • Frank Sottile, Texas A&M University
  • 10:00 - 10:30 am EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 10:30 am - 12:00 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 12:00 - 2:00 pm EST
    Lunch/Free Time
  • 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST
    Group Work
  • 3:30 - 4:00 pm EST
    Coffee Break
    11th Floor Collaborative Space
  • 4:00 - 5:00 pm EST
    Group Presentations
    11th Floor Lecture Hall

All event times are listed in ICERM local time in Providence, RI (Eastern Daylight Time / UTC-4).

All event times are listed in .