The dilogarithm and SL_2

Speaker: Dr. Kevin Hutchinson (UCD)

Time: 3:00PM
Date: Wed 6th October 2010

Location: Mathematical Sciences Seminar Room

Abstract
The Bloch group of a field, which is constructed from the 5-term functional equation of the dilogarithm, arises in a variety of contexts: invariants of hyperbolic 3-manifolds, algebraic K-theory and the homology of GL_2, conformal field theory.

We will discuss the classical Bloch group and some of the connections mentioned above, and will also discuss a new refinement of the Bloch group which allows us to calculate hitherto unknown parts of the homology of SL_2.

(This talk is part of the K-Theory, Quadratic Forms and Number Theory series.)