IPMU Colloquium (MC)

Speaker: Marcus Werner (Kavli IPMU)
Title: Gravitational Lensing and Topology
Date (JST): Wed, Dec 12, 2012, 15:30 - 17:00
Place: Lecture Hall
Related File: 767.pdf
Abstract: A well-known consequence of general relativity is the deflection of light due to the curvature of spacetime. This gravitational lensing effect is an important tool in astronomy, and its theory has some mathematically interesting properties. In this colloquium, I will give an introduction to gravitational lensing theory and describe some topological aspects. This will include the connection between the number of lensed images and Morse theory and the Gauss-Bonnet theorem in optical geometry. Bounds on image numbers and magnification invariants will also be discussed.