Event

Talk
Heterotic strings and deformed quantum geometry
Ilarion Melnikov (AEI)
15 Nov 2010, 16:30 – 17:30

Compactifications of the ten-dimensional heterotic string to four dimensions are a well-known source of interesting particle physics models. Their structure also has interest for the mathematicians---for instance, the phenomenon of mirror
symmetry was first described in this context. Despite being a rather venerable subject, we know surprisingly little about the general structure of these compactifications. In my talk I will describe some recent developments that have allowed for some new insights and have led to some new mathematical
structures. In particular, I will focus on deformations of quantum cohomology, a structure familiar from the mathematics of mirror symmetry.