Speaker: Jonathan Rosenberg, University of Maryland

Title: T-duality in string theory and its underpinnings in topology and noncommutative geometry

Abstract: T-duality is an equivalence between two different physical theories living on two different spacetime manifolds. It exchanges circles in one spacetime with the "dual" circles in the other, but often also involves a change of topology. We will examine various approaches to T-duality, and will see how its topological aspects can be understood either from algebraic topology or from noncommutative geometry.

Place: Science and Technology Building I, Room 242

Refreshments will be served before the talk at 3:00 p.m. in Room 222.

Department of Mathematical Sciences
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, MS 3F2
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
http://math.gmu.edu/
Tel. 703-993-1460, Fax. 703-993-1491