Geometry, Topology and Dynamics Seminar
Ben Schmidt
University of Chicago
Blocking light in closed Riemannian manifolds
Abstract: For a pair of points (x,y) in a closed Riemannian
manifold M, we consider the problem of finding the smallest
subset of points B(x,y) in M such that the interior of every
geodesic between x and y meets the set B(x,y). We'll describe
conjectures asserting that closed flat manifolds and compact
type symmetric spaces are characterizable amongst all closed
Riemannian manifolds by the sizes of these blocking sets.
Based on work of K. Burns/E.Gutkin, joint work with J. Lafont,
and joint work with J. Souto.
Monday February 26, 2007 at 3:00 PM in SEO 512