Applied Maths Seminar: Finn -- Topological chaos in two and three dimensions

Matthew Finn,
School of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Adelaide 

Wednesday 21st April 14:05-14:55pm, New Law School Seminar 030 (Building F10).  

Abstract:
Research into two-dimensional laminar fluid mixing has enjoyed a renaissance in the last
decade since the realisation that the Thurston–Nielsen theory of surface homeomorphisms
can assist in designing efficient "topologically chaotic" batch mixers.  

In this talk I will survey some tools used in topological fluid kinematics, including
braid groups, train-tracks, dynamical systems and topological index formulae.  I will
then make some speculations about topological chaos in three dimensions.