MATH Seminar

Title: Algebraic aspects of statistical field theory
Seminar: Algebra and number theory
Speaker: David Borthwick of Emory University
Contact: Skip Garibaldi, skip@mathcs.emory.edu
Date: 2010-09-28 at 3:00PM
Venue: MSC E408
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Abstract: We'll give an introduction to the role that representation theory plays in the construction of models for phase transitions in physics. In particular, we'll introduce the Virasoro algebra and the "minimal models'' which are essentially its simplest unitary representations. We'll also consider some related models based on Lie algebras. The talk will mainly focus on the algebra of these models, but we'll try to explain how certain aspects of the constructions have significance in the physical theories.