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Abstract homomorphisms of algebraic groups

Special Events

Speaker: Igor A. Rapinchuk, Harvard University
Related Webpage: https://sites.google.com/site/irapinchuk1
Location: 1147 MSB
Start time: Thu, Dec 11 2014, 4:10PM

The focus of this talk will be on recent results on abstract homomorphisms between the groups of rational points of algebraic groups. I will indicate how these fit into the general framework of rigidity and also give a historical perspective, starting with results of Cartan and Schreier and van der Waerden. I will then discuss the main results of the landmark 1973 paper of Borel and Tits and address a conjecture on abstract homomorphisms that they formulated there. Our results settle this conjecture in several cases; the proofs make use of the notion of an algebraic ring.

There will be a dinner in honor of the speaker.