Séminaires : Séminaire Géométrie et Topologie

Ce séminaire s’adresse aux géomètres, topologues et dynamiciens au sens large. Il est rattaché aux équipes Analyse Algébrique et Analyse Complexe et Géométrie. Les exposés seront accessibles à une audience large, doctorants inclus. Il se tiendra à Jussieu, le jeudi à 11h, en salle 15-25 502. Le séminaire a l'agenda google suivante: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/b/0?cid=dDgzNTJoczNmdDhlMm5nb2IzMXJwaWpsdHNAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

In the seminal work of Culler and Shalen (1983) a method is outlined to detect essential surfaces in a three-manifold by studying their SL(2,C)-character variety. The method underscores connections between the theory of incompressible surfaces in three-manifolds, splittings of fundamental groups, group actions on trees, and the geometry of representation varieties. In this talk, we will motivate and then lay a general foundation for this theory in arbitrary characteristic by using the same approach instead over F, an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic. We then apply the extended theory to a variety of settings. This is joint work with Stephan Tillmann.