Leírás
Symmetry is a guiding principle in physics, and groups give it a precise language. In this talk, we explore two ways in which finite groups and quantum physics inform each other. First, we show how the circular symmetry of light-harvesting complexes in photosynthetic bacteria produces excitations delocalized across a ring of pigments, increasing the efficiency of the early stages of photosynthesis. Second, we reverse the direction. We consider a topological quantum field theory that assigns to each finite group a family of invariants, one for each genus of surface. In genus one, this recovers the commuting probability: the probability that two randomly chosen group elements commute. We show that for every genus, sufficiently large values of these invariants force the group to be abelian, nilpotent, supersolvable, or solvable, generalizing classical theorems on the commuting probability. No background in physics will be assumed.
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Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87958041031?pwd=fQn32tNiUNeDnG5z5QItHNqY2IzbX7.1
Meeting ID: 879 5804 1031
Passcode: 123332