Geometry, Topology and Dynamics Seminar
Patrick Hooper
Northwestern University
Billiards near triangles with the lattice property
Abstract: We will discuss aspects of the following recent theorem:
"Let T_i be a sequence of triangles converging to an isosceles triangle T.
Then there is an N>0 so that each triangle T_i has a periodic billiard
path for i>N."
The proof is relatively simple if the limiting triangle T does not have
the lattice property. We will describe why it can be hard to find periodic
billiard paths in triangles T_i converging to a triangle T with the
lattice property.
This is joint work with Rich Schwartz.
Monday September 25, 2006 at 3:00 PM in SEO 512