Contact and Symplectic Structures and Holomorphic Curves

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AbstractAward: DMS-0603957Principal Investigator: Helmut HoferThe field of symplectic geometry has a large interface to othermathematical disciplines, like algebraic geometry, differentialtopology (particularly in small dimensions) and dynamical systemsto name a few. Dr. Hofer's project is concerned with the study offundamental aspects of symplectic geometry, its applications todynamical systems, as well as the development of mathematicaltechnology to address analytical problems arising in thefield. One part of the project is devoted to the study ofSymplectic Field Theory (SFT) which currently is the most generaland most comprehensive theory of symplectic invariants. Anotherpart develops a general approach for studying certain classes ofnonlinear elliptic partial differential equations as they occurin SFT. These methods potentially should have other applicationsin nonlinear analysis as well. A third part is devoted to theapplications of the theory to dynamical systems. The aim is thedevelopment of mathematical infrastructure, based on acombination of Floer theory and the theory of finite energyfoliations due to Dr. Hofer and his collaborators. This researchaims at the understanding of long-term behavior of iteratedarea-preserving disk maps with its numerous applications.Many physical systems like the flow of an incompressible idealfluid, the movement of a satellite under the gravitational forcesof celestial bodies, or the movement of charged particles in amagnetic field, to name a few, are examples of so calleddynamical systems. The mathematical theory of dynamical systemsprovides tools to understand their complex behavior and allows tomake predictions. The particular examples mentioned above are ofso-called Hamiltonian nature and have an intricate structureleading to extreme complicated dynamical behavior. Stabilizing abeam of particles in a partic= le accelerators, or sending aprobe on an interstellar journey, or understanding the dynamicsof a stationary flow of an incompressible ideal fluid areproblems whose mathematical underpinnings are touched by theresearch proposed in this project. Some of the methods developedpotentially have application to larger classes of partialdifferential equations of relevance in physics.