Poisson 2024 Conference

Speakers & Talks

July 8-12, 2024

Accademia Pontaniana - Napoli

Invited Speakers

Paolo ANTONINI

Università del Salento

Optimal Transport between Algebraic Hypersurfaces

Abstract: I will report on a recent work in collaboration with F. Cavalletti and A. Lerario where we study complex projective hypersurfaces seen as probability measures on the projective space.

Our guiding question is:

“What is the best way to deform a complex projective hypersurface into another one?"

Here the word best means from the point of view of measure theory and mass optimal transportation. In particular we construct an embedding of the space of complex homogeneous polynomials into the probability measures on the projective space and study its intrinsic Wasserstein metric.

The Kähler structure of the projective space plays a fundamental role and we combine different techniques from symplectic geometry to the Benamou-Brenier dynamical approach to optimal transportation to prove several interesting facts. Among them we show that the space of hypersurfaces with the Wasserstein metric is complete and geodesic: any two hypersurfaces (possibly singular) are always joined by a minimizing geodesic. Moreover outside the discriminant locus, the metric is induced by a Kähler structure of Weil-Petersson type.

In the last part I will give an application to the condition number of polynomial equations solving.

Ana BALIBANU

Louisiana State University

Reduction along Strong Dirac Maps

Abstract: We develop a general procedure for reduction along strong Dirac maps, which are a broad generalization of Poisson moment maps. The reduction level in this setting is a submanifold of the target, and the symmetries are given by the action of a groupoid. When applied to group-valued moment maps, this framework recovers several constructions from quasi-Poisson geometry and produces new multiplicative versions of many Poisson varieties that are important to geometric representation theory. This is joint work with Maxence Mayrand.

Henrique BURSZTYN

IMPA

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

Alberto CATTANEO

University of Zurich

Poisson Structures from Corners of Field Theories

Abstract: The BV formalism and its shifted versions in field theory have a nice compatibility with boundary structures. Namely, one such structure in the bulk induces a shifted (possibly degenerated) version on its boundary, which can be interpreted as a Poisson structure (up to homotopy). I will present the results for some field theories, in particular, 4D BF theory and 4D gravity. 

Miquel CUECA TEN

Universität Göttingen

Transgressions in Poisson Geometry

Abstract: In a broad sense, a transgression map is the composition of a pull-back with a push-forward in a way that some internal degree is changed. A prototypical example is the transgression map from a manifold to its loop space given by pull-back with the evaluation followed by fiber integration. In this talk, I plan to explain the relevance of transgression maps in the construction of secondary characteristic classes for Courant algebroids, n-duals of VB-n-groupoids, integration of Courant algebroids and shifted Lagrangian structures. 

Rui Loja FERNANDES

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

Mario GARCIA FERNANDEZ

UAM & ICMAT

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

Boris KHESIN

University of Toronto

Pensive Billiards

Abstract:  We define a new class of plane billiards, where while preserving the billiard rule of equality of the angles of incidence and reflection, the billiard ball before reflecting travels along the boundary for some distance depending on the incidence angle. This generalizes so called "puck billiards" proposed by M.Bialy, as well as the motion of a vortex dipole in 2D hydrodynamics near the domain boundary. We prove the variational origin and invariance of a symplectic structure for such billiards. We also observe the appearance of both the golden and silver ratios in the corresponding vortex setting. This is a joint work with D.Glukhovskiy and T.Drivas.

Mykola MATVIICHUK

Imperial College

Deformation Theory of Log Symplectic Manifolds

Abstract: TBA

Marta MAZZOCCO

University of Birmingham

Triangulations, Cluster Varieties and GDAHA

Abstract: Generalized double affine Hecke algebras (GDAHA) are flat deformations of the group algebras of 2-dimensional crystallographic groups associated to star-shaped simply laced affine Dynkin diagrams. In this talk, we construct embeddings of both GDAHAs of type ~D_4 and ~E_6 into matrix algebras over quantum cluster X-varieties, thus linking to the theory of higher Teichmüller spaces. 

Florian NAEF

Trinity College Dublin

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

Leonid POLTEROVICH

Tel Aviv University   

Big Fiber Theorems, Ideal-Valued Measures, and Symplectic Topology

Abstract: I will discuss an adaptation of Gromov's ideal-valued measures to symplectic topology. It leads to a unified viewpoint at three "big fiber theorems": the Centerpoint Theorem in combinatorial geometry, the Maximal Fiber Inequality in topology, and the Non-displaceable Fiber Theorem for involutive maps in symplectic topology, and yields applications to symplectic rigidity. Joint work with Adi Dickstein, Yaniv Ganor, and Frol Zapolsky.

Jonathan PRIDHAM

University of Edinburgh

Derived Poisson Structures

Abstract: Shifted Poisson structures have appeared in many guises over the past decades. I will give an overview and examples from the perspective of derived geometry, trying to emphasise similarities with, and differences from, earlier and parallel approaches.

Brent PYM

McGill University 

Semi-classical Hodge Theory

Abstract: Kontsevich's deformation quantization formula associates to any Poisson manifold an algebra of "quantum observables", defined as a noncommutative deformation of the product of functions. The formula is Feynman-style series expansion, whose coefficients are multiple zeta values, making it intractable for direct calculation.  Following a suggestion of Kontsevich, I will explain how K-theory and mixed Hodge structures can be used to construct natural "period coordinates" on the moduli space of smooth Poisson varieties, in which the quantization can often be computed simply, explicitly and nonperturbatively as the exponential map for a complex torus. This gives a conceptual explanation for the appearance of various classical transcendental functions in the relations defining well-known noncommutative algebras. This talk is based on joint work with A. Lindberg.

Kasia REJZNER

University of York

Quantization of Gauge Theories in Perturbative Algebraic Quantum Field Theory

Abstract: I will begin with outlining the formalism of perturbative algebraic quantum field theory, which has been successfully applied in quantization of gauge theories. Then I will explain how it can be generalized to situations where a boundary is present, including the case of an asymptotic "boundary at infinity." The key idea is to start with a Poisson structure and quantize it through formal deformation quantization. In the presence of boundaries and corners, one has a whole hierarchy of such structures.

Michele SCHIAVINA

Università di Pavia

Reduction by Stages for Gauge Theory with Corners

Abstract: I will discuss the Hamiltonian formulation of local field theories on manifolds with corners in the particular, yet common, case in which they admit an equivariant momentum map.  In the presence of corners, the momentum map naturally splits into a part encoding “Cauchy data” or constraints, and a part encoding the “flux” across the corner. 

The reduced phase space is then conveniently handled via symplectic reduction by stages, adapted to local group actions.  

When smooth, the output of this analysis are natural Poisson structures associated to corner submanifolds (both on- and off-shell), leading to the concept of (classical) flux superselection sectors as their symplectic leaves, and providing a roadmap to quantum superselection. Moreover, in terms of higher structures, embedding this “on shell” data in ambient corner configuration spaces leads to “Poisson-infinity data”.

As a byproduct, both the Peter-Weyl theorem and the Verlinde formula are seen as descending from the superselection factorisation for the appropriate gauge theory. Looking at electrodynamics or gravitation, other factorisation formulas are expected, owing to the general structure of reduced phase spaces.

Yunhe SHENG

Jilin University

Post-groupoids and the Yang-Baxter Equation

Abstract: In this talk, first we recall the notion of a post-group. By differentiation of a post-Lie group, one can obtain a post-Lie algebra, which was introduced by Vallette in 2007 and have important applications in numerical integration on manifolds and Martin Hairer's regularity structures. There are close relationships between post-groups, Rota-Baxter groups, skew-left braces and Lie-Butcher groups. In particular, post-groups give rise to matched pairs of groups, and can be used to construct set-theoretical solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation. Then we introduce the notion of a post-groupoid. A post-groupoid is a group bundle equipped with another binary operation. The section space of a post-groupoid is a weak post group. A post-groupoid gives rise to a groupoid and an action on the original group bundle. By differentiation of a post-Lie groupoid, one can obtain a post-Lie algebroid, which was introduced by Munthe-Kaas and Lundervold in the study of geometric numerical analysis. Finally, we show that post-groupoids provide solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation on quivers. This is a joint work with Rong Tang and Chenchang Zhu.

Yan ZHOU

Northeastern University

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

Chenchang ZHU

Universität Göttingen

Higher Derived Shifted Symplectic Groupoids

Abstract: In this talk, based on many previous works, we will introduce hopefully a helpful new tool for differential geometers: 

-higher: to deal with quotient singularities

-derived: to heal transversality problems

-shifted: for more flexible symplectic situations. 

At the same time of being as complete as possible, we also make the framework as explicit as possible using groupoid models. In the end, we will explain in some concrete examples how this theory is used. This is based on a joint work in progress with Miquel Cueca Ten, Florian Dorsch and Reyer Sjamaar.