Topology in seven dimensions. Aims: The project aims to give a complete classification of a certain class of 7-dimensional spaces; namely simply-connected spin 7-manifolds. We also present related programs classify G_2-structures on 7-manifolds.
Significance: the proposed classification will be a signature achievement in the topology of manifolds, with applications likely in both geometry and mathematical physics.
Expected outcomes: The project will produce a series of papers published in high ....Topology in seven dimensions. Aims: The project aims to give a complete classification of a certain class of 7-dimensional spaces; namely simply-connected spin 7-manifolds. We also present related programs classify G_2-structures on 7-manifolds.
Significance: the proposed classification will be a signature achievement in the topology of manifolds, with applications likely in both geometry and mathematical physics.
Expected outcomes: The project will produce a series of papers published in high quality journals and enhanced scientific collaboration between Australia and the United Kingdom.
Benefits: The project will enhance Australia's research reputation by producing excellent research in a field not historically represented in the country.Read moreRead less
Invariants, geometric and discrete structures on manifolds. This project aims to develop practical methods for finding geometric and discrete structures on manifolds in both low and high dimensions and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-D spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants, string theory) and such spaces. In this project, the ....Invariants, geometric and discrete structures on manifolds. This project aims to develop practical methods for finding geometric and discrete structures on manifolds in both low and high dimensions and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-D spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants, string theory) and such spaces. In this project, the first aim is to construct structures with good geometric properties on 3- and 4-manifolds, using triangulations. The second aim is to study combinatorial decompositions of n-manifolds, using our new technique of multisections and also searching for polyhedral metrics of non-positive curvature. The third aim is to connect quantum invariants and geometric structures, again using triangulations.Read moreRead less
Triangulations in dimensions 3 and 4: discrete and geometric structures. Recently there have been spectacular advances in understanding 3-dimensional spaces and the interaction between ideas in mathematical physics (quantum invariants) and such spaces. This project aims at practical methods for finding geometric structures and advancing our understanding of the information that physics is providing about these spaces.
Interactions of geometry and knot theory. This project aims to use recent breakthroughs in hyperbolic geometry and Kleinian groups to relate geometry to knots which are mathematical objects arising in microbiology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Knots are often studied via the space around them known as the knot complement. Knot complements decompose into geometric pieces, and the most common geometry is hyperbolic, which completely determines a knot. However, how to obtain information on ....Interactions of geometry and knot theory. This project aims to use recent breakthroughs in hyperbolic geometry and Kleinian groups to relate geometry to knots which are mathematical objects arising in microbiology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Knots are often studied via the space around them known as the knot complement. Knot complements decompose into geometric pieces, and the most common geometry is hyperbolic, which completely determines a knot. However, how to obtain information on the hyperbolic geometry of a knot from a classical description is unknown. This project will obtain information by uncovering results that would enable classification of even extremely complicated knots, and could affect mathematics and other fields.Read moreRead less
Geodesic arcs and surfaces for hyperbolic knots and 3-manifolds. This project aims to use recent breakthroughs in mathematics to determine explicit geometric information on mathematical spaces, namely knot complements and 3-manifolds. These spaces arise in applications across science and engineering. They break into pieces that admit geometry, where hyperbolic geometry is the most common. This project expects to generate new knowledge around a number of open questions and conjectures on the hype ....Geodesic arcs and surfaces for hyperbolic knots and 3-manifolds. This project aims to use recent breakthroughs in mathematics to determine explicit geometric information on mathematical spaces, namely knot complements and 3-manifolds. These spaces arise in applications across science and engineering. They break into pieces that admit geometry, where hyperbolic geometry is the most common. This project expects to generate new knowledge around a number of open questions and conjectures on the hyperbolic geometry of knots and 3-manifolds. Expected outcomes include development of theory, and improved geometric tools. It will benefit the mathematical community through new insights and improved methods, and possibly lead to downstream applications in other scientific fields that rely on geometry. Read moreRead less
Singular spaces in analysis and geometry. Singularities arise naturally in many areas of mathematics, as models of symmetry, degeneracy, and asymptotic collapse. The aim of this project is to provide powerful, generlisable tools to elucidate the interplay between modes of singularity formation and solutions to the important differential equations which arise in geometric analysis. The proposed framework builds upon the established success of microlocal analysis, initiated by Melrose in the 1980' ....Singular spaces in analysis and geometry. Singularities arise naturally in many areas of mathematics, as models of symmetry, degeneracy, and asymptotic collapse. The aim of this project is to provide powerful, generlisable tools to elucidate the interplay between modes of singularity formation and solutions to the important differential equations which arise in geometric analysis. The proposed framework builds upon the established success of microlocal analysis, initiated by Melrose in the 1980's, in the generalisation of landmark theorems like the Atiyah-Singer index theorem to more general Riemannian manifolds. This project will benefit Australia by increasing its capacity in pure mathematics in this highly active research area.Read moreRead less
Trisections, triangulations and the complexity of manifolds. This project aims at practical representations of 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional spaces as needed in applications. Topology is the mathematical study of the shapes of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Special combinatorial structures, such as minimal triangulations, are often closely connected to geometric structures or topological properties. This project aims to construct ....Trisections, triangulations and the complexity of manifolds. This project aims at practical representations of 3-dimensional and 4-dimensional spaces as needed in applications. Topology is the mathematical study of the shapes of spaces. Geometry endows spaces with additional structure such as distance, angle and curvature. Special combinatorial structures, such as minimal triangulations, are often closely connected to geometric structures or topological properties. This project aims to construct computable invariants, connectivity results for triangulations, and algorithms to recognise fundamental topological properties and structures such as trisections and bundles.Read moreRead less
Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating ....Classical and quantum invariants of low-dimensional manifolds. This project aims to advance our understanding of knots and 3-dimensional spaces, which arise naturally in fields as diverse as physics, computer graphics, chemistry and biology. Recent ideas from quantum field theory link physics to topology in dimensions 3 and 4, leading to powerful invariants of knots and 3-dimensional manifolds that include the Jones polynomial and the 3D-index. This project aims to resolve key questions relating these quantum invariants to classical topology and geometry. The project will have a major impact in low-dimensional topology, and lead to deep and unexpected connections between mathematics and mathematical physics.Read moreRead less
Topology through applications: geometry, number theory and physics. Topology is the part of geometry that remains invariant under deformation (as in the inflation of a balloon). We will apply this flexibility to investigate deep problems in several disciplines as diverse as number theory, geometry and the mathematics of string theory.