OU Dynamical Systems seminar

The Dynamical Systems group at the Open University is organising an online seminar series.  

Our group's interests include -but are not restricted to:  Aperiodic Order,  Computer-assisted proofs in dynamical systems,  Energy systems modelling,  Holomorphic Dynamics,  Hyperbolic Geometry and Cocycle Dynamics,  Renormalisation in dynamical systems and its applications,  Symbolic Dynamics,  Tiling Dynamical Systems,  and Topological Dynamics.

Upcoming seminars

Wednesday 10 September 2.00pm

Speaker: Michael Lan, The Open University

Title: Euler’s Infinite Exponentials: From Intuition to Modern Dynamics 

Abstract: The infinite iteration of exponentials, first presented in detail by Euler as the “power tower” x^(x^(x^(...))), raises a natural question: for which values of x does this tower converge to a real limit? In this talk, we’ll retrace Euler’s remarkable 18th-century analysis, looking at both his innovative style and methods, which blended intuition, algebraic manipulation, and numerical calculation in a way ahead of his time. We will see how some more modern mathematicians have built on Euler’s work, formalising and expanding his ideas using tools from calculus and analysis. Comparisons with recent approaches show how this simple problem has evolved into a touchstone for fixed-point theory and dynamical systems, as well as a source of unexpected connections to number theory and even biochemistry.  

Past seminars and seminar schedule