July 21-27, 2013

Rational Points 2013

Workshop at Schloss Thurnau




Programme




Background

This workshop continues the series started with the workshops

Rational Points on Curves - Explicit Methods
and
Rational Points on Curves and Higher-Dimensional Varieties: Theory and Explicit Methods
held in 2005 and 2007 in Bremen, followed by the workshop
Rational Points 3
in Thurnau in 2010.

Similarly to the earlier events, this workshop aims at bringing together the leading experts in the field, ranging from the more theoretically-oriented over the explicit to the algorithmic. The fundamental problem motivating the workshop asks for a description of the set of rational points X(Q) for a given algebraic variety X defined over Q. When X is a curve, the structure of this set is known, and the most interesting question is how to determine it explicitly for a given curve. When X is higher-dimensional, much less is known about the structure of X(Q), even when X is a surface. So here the open questions are much more basic for our understanding of the situation, and on the algorithmic side, the focus is on trying to decide if a given variety goes have any rational point at all.

Aim

By bringing together the leading experts and giving them the opportunity to present their latest results and their view on the field in general, we hope to provide a fertile basis for animated discussions. As a result, we hope to achieve a better understanding of the current state of the art and, more importantly, to identify and explore the most promising directions for future work.

Format

This is a small workshop with about 30 to 35 participants. Participation is by invitation. Every participant is expected to contribute actively to the success of the event, by giving talks and/or by taking part in the discussions. There will be two invited talks every morning (9:30-10:30 and 11:15-12:15); the afternoons will be available for shorter invited talks, discussions, informal talks and collaboration. Wednesday afternoon is free. See the programs of the previous workshops for the general structure.

Participants

Travel and Accomodation

Sunday, July 21, is arrival day; Saturday, July 27, is departure day. Accomodation is provided in Schloss Thurnau and in the town of Thurnau.

Thurnau no longer sports a railway station. The best place to go by railway is Bayreuth. I will try to organize a pick-up service; otherwise you can take a taxi. For railway connections, see the Deutsche Bahn website.

Attention: The trains going from Nuremberg to Bayreuth usually have several parts that get separated somewhere on the way. Only one of them goes to Bayreuth. So be careful when boarding the train to enter the right part!

Organizer

Michael Stoll (Universität Bayreuth)

Supported by

 


Link to Workshop 2005

Link to Workshop 2007

Link to Workshop 2010


Last modified: 2013-07-26
Michael Stoll