Title: Dynamics of distal actions and illumination problem.

Date and Time: 1st September 2023, 4pm

Venue: LH 1, Transit Campus 

Abstract:  We will introduce dynamical systems with a few examples and provide an overview of distal maps, which were introduced by David Hilbert. We will discuss the relation between distality and the behaviour of the orbits, and present a characterisation of distal automorphisms in terms of their contraction groups. We will define pointwise distal groups and briefly touch upon motivation to study them in terms of the behaviour of convolution powers of probability measures on it. The second part of the talk will be on an illumination problem and related work of Maryam Mirzakhani on translation surfaces. We will end the talk with a brief discussion on the Indian Women and Mathematics (IWM) initiatives in India to promote mathematics research and teaching among women. This will be an expository talk.

All are cordially invited to the seminar.