Implementing algebraic geometry algorithms
October 26 to October 30, 2009
at the
American Institute of Mathematics,
Palo Alto, California
organized by
Hirotachi Abo,
Anton Leykin,
Sam Payne,
and Amelia Taylor
This workshop, sponsored by
AIM and the
NSF,
will be devoted to developing
three packages,
- algebraic statistics,
- numerical algebraic geometry,
- toric algebraic geometry,
for the computer algebra system Macaulay 2. Macaulay 2 is a widely
used computer algebra system for research and teaching in algebraic
geometry and
commutative algebra and is one of the leading computer algebra programs
for
performing such computations.
These three topics are all very active areas of research in computational
algebra
and algebraic geometry and are linked in surprising ways which lends them
nicely
to be the three packages of focus for this workshop.
- Algebraic Statistics: Some of the key varieties arising in the
application
of algebra and geometry to phylogenetics are toric, while other challenges
in
studying both phylogenetics and reverse engineering of biochemical systems
are
rooted in the need for better numerical techniques for algebraic geometry.
It
is also the case that solving such problems, and related problems more
broadly
in algebraic statistics, often require non-standard approaches to
computing
primary decompositions and other standard algebraic objects for which
broadly
available code might allow form greater experimentation and study.
- Numerical Algebraic Geometry: While there are tasks best accomplished
numerically and other tasks that can be approached only symbolically,
there
is a multitude of problems in computational algebraic geometry currently
unsolved by either. A system which allows a user to seamlessly access both
the numerical and symbolic algorithms and to write hybrid programs will
make possible the kind of experimentation that might solve these
problems. Developing the ability to create hybrid programs is the primary
focus of this package. Developing such a package requires a combination
of a clear understanding of both numerical methods and current problems in
algebra and geometry that might benefit from this package, like algebraic
statistics and toric algebraic geometry.
- Toric Geometry: Toric geometry stands at the interface between
commutative
algebra, combinatorics, and geometry and has a rich history as a testing
ground
for emerging theories and general conjectures in algebraic geometry.
Several topics of current research are suitable for computational
exploration, and access to efficient software could lead to rapid and
significant progress on open problems, including determining whether
iterated
normalized Nash blowups resolve arbitrary singularities and computing
large
sets of examples of normalized Nash blowups of higher dimensional toric
varieties, computing weighted Ehrhart series, and implementation of
algorithms
in toric intersection theory.
The workshop will differ from typical conferences in some regards.
Participants will be invited to suggest open problems and questions
before the workshop begins, and these will be posted on the workshop
website. These include specific problems on which there is hope of
making some progress during the workshop,
as well as more ambitious problems which may influence
the future activity of the field.
Lectures at the
workshop will be focused on familiarizing the participants with the
background material leading up to specific problems, and the
schedule will include discussion and parallel working sessions.
The deadline to apply for support to participate in this
workshop has passed.
For more information email workshops@aimath.org
Plain text announcement or
brief announcement.
Go to the
American Institute of Mathematics.
Go to the
list of upcoming workshops.