Talk by Dr. Brain Williams (Postdoc-Zelevinsky Research Instructor, Northeastern University)

11/09/2020  12:00-1:00pm  WebEx Meeting

Abstract:  

Shifted symplectic geometry has played an effective role in describing the derived critical locus of functions where in physics this is known as the (classical) Batalin—Vilkovisky (BV) formalism. Unrelatedly, Dirac’s approach to describe the behavior of constrained systems has natural roots in the world of (unshifted) presymplectic geometry. We unify these two ideas by providing a model for a constrained version of the BV formalism which turns out to encapsulate a variety of ubiquitous objects that are currently trending in the world of modern day physics. We will end with an application of the formalism to provide a mathematical model for an object in string theory called the ``M5 brane”. This is joint work with Ingmar Sabier (Munich).