The conjugacy problem and related problems in lattice-ordered groups

We study, from a constructive computational point of view, the techniques used to solve the conjugacy problem in the "generic" lattice-ordered group Aut(R) of order automorphisms of the real line. We use these techniques in order to show that for each choice of parameters f,g in Aut(R), the equation xfx=g is effectively solvable in Aut(R).Comment: Small update

Local models of Shimura varieties, I. Geometry and combinatorics

We survey the theory of local models of Shimura varieties. In particular, we discuss their definition and illustrate it by examples. We give an overview of the results on their geometry and combinatorics obtained in the last 15 years. We also exhibit their connections to other classes of algebraic varieties such as nilpotent orbit closures, affine Schubert varieties, quiver Grassmannians and wonderful completions of symmetric spaces.Comment: 86 pages, small corrections and improvements, to appear in the "Handbook of Moduli

Group actions on 1-manifolds: a list of very concrete open questions

This text focuses on actions on 1-manifolds. We present a (non exhaustive) list of very concrete open questions in the field, each of which is discussed in some detail and complemented with a large list of references, so that a clear panorama on the subject arises from the lecture.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figure

Kitaev's quantum double model from a local quantum physics point of view

A prominent example of a topologically ordered system is Kitaev's quantum double model $\mathcal{D}(G)$ for finite groups $G$ (which in particular includes $G = \mathbb{Z}_2$, the toric code). We will look at these models from the point of view of local quantum physics. In particular, we will review how in the abelian case, one can do a Doplicher-Haag-Roberts analysis to study the different superselection sectors of the model. In this way one finds that the charges are in one-to-one correspondence with the representations of $\mathcal{D}(G)$, and that they are in fact anyons. Interchanging two of such anyons gives a non-trivial phase, not just a possible sign change. The case of non-abelian groups $G$ is more complicated. We outline how one could use amplimorphisms, that is, morphisms $A \to M_n(A)$ to study the superselection structure in that case. Finally, we give a brief overview of applications of topologically ordered systems to the field of quantum computation.Comment: Chapter contributed to R. Brunetti, C. Dappiaggi, K. Fredenhagen, J. Yngvason (eds), Advances in Algebraic Quantum Field Theory (Springer 2015). Mainly revie

Conjugacy in Garside groups I: Cyclings, powers, and rigidity

In this paper a relation between iterated cyclings and iterated powers of elements in a Garside group is shown. This yields a characterization of elements in a Garside group having a rigid power, where 'rigid' means that the left normal form changes only in the obvious way under cycling and decycling. It is also shown that, given X in a Garside group, if some power X^m is conjugate to a rigid element, then m can be bounded above by ||\Delta||^3. In the particular case of braid groups, this implies that a pseudo-Anosov braid has a small power whose ultra summit set consists of rigid elements. This solves one of the problems in the way of a polynomial solution to the conjugacy decision problem (CDP) and the conjugacy search problem (CSP) in braid groups. In addition to proving the rigidity theorem, it will be shown how this paper fits into the authors' program for finding a polynomial algorithm to the CDP/CSP, and what remains to be done.Comment: 41 page

Towards a dual spin network basis for (3+1)d lattice gauge theories and topological phases

Using a recent strategy to encode the space of flat connections on a three-manifold with string-like defects into the space of flat connections on a so-called 2d Heegaard surface, we propose a novel way to define gauge invariant bases for (3+1)d lattice gauge theories and gauge models of topological phases. In particular, this method reconstructs the spin network basis and yields a novel dual spin network basis. While the spin network basis allows to interpret states in terms of electric excitations, on top of a vacuum sharply peaked on a vanishing electric field, the dual spin network basis describes magnetic (or curvature) excitations, on top of a vacuum sharply peaked on a vanishing magnetic field (or flat connection). This technique is also applicable for manifolds with boundaries. We distinguish in particular a dual pair of boundary conditions, namely of electric type and of magnetic type. This can be used to consider a generalization of Ocneanu's tube algebra in order to reveal the algebraic structure of the excitations associated with certain 3d manifolds.Comment: 45 page