Geometry Seminar

 

Geometric analysis on the unit sphere S3

 

Professor Der-Chen Chang
Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA

 

 

Abstract

The unit sphere S3 can be identified with the unitary group SU(2). Under this identification the unit sphere can be considered as a non-commutative Lie group. The commutation relations for the vector fields of the corresponding Lie algebra define a 2-step non-holonomic manifold. We study non-holonomic geodesics on this manifold making use of the Hamiltonian formalism and solving the corresponding Hamiltonian system. We also study the subelliptic heat kernel on it.

 

Date:

July 17, 2008 (Thursday)

Time:

4:00 – 5:00pm

Place:

Room 517, Meng Wah Complex, HKU

 

 

 

All are welcome