RTG Working Seminar on Geometry, Dynamics and Topology Date:  Wednesday, April 03, 2013 Location:  3096 East Hall (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM) Title:  Geometric transitions in Lorentzian geometry Abstract:   A complete flat Lorentzian three-manifold is the quotient of the (2+1)-dimensional Minkowski space by a group of isometries acting properly discontinuously. If the group acting is a free group, the quotient is called a Margulis space-time. We show that (most) Margulis space-times arise as rescaled limits of collapsing manifolds modeled on anti de Sitter (AdS) geometry, a negatively curved Lorentzian model geometry. This is joint work with François Guéritaud and Fanny Kassel. The talk will have two parts. Part I will develop a framework for geometric transitions. Specifically we explain how to make sense of paths of geometric structures that change geometry (e.g. from curved to flat). Part II will focus on the geometry and topology of Lorentzian manifolds, and then give the main construction. Speaker:  Jeff Danciger Institution:  UT Austin Event Organizer:        Edit this event (login required). Add new event (login required). For access requests and instructions, contact math-webmaster@umich.edu Back to previous page Back to UM Math seminars/events page.