Prime numbers, Riemann, and Langlands

  • Date: 09/05/2006
Lecturer(s):

Stephen Gelbart (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Location: 

University of British Columbia

Topic: 

Prime numbers have held a mystery over number theory since before
Euclid. To introduce a powerful new tool to the subject, Riemann
defined his analytic zeta function; with it, he described the Prime
Number Theorem and conjectured Riemann's Hypothesis. More than 100
years after 1859, R.P. Langlands generalized Riemann's function and -
among other things - explained how every zeta function in number theory
(whether due to Artin, or to an elliptic curve, or whatever) might be
one of his generalized functions. In this short talk, we shall
summarize briefly the contents of prime numbers, Riemann, and Langlands.

Other Information: 

UBC Mathematics Department Colloquium Hosted by PIMS-UBC 2006

Sponsor: 

pims