Volume 40

iTHEMS Weekly News Letter

Upcoming Events

Colloquium

iTHEMS Colloquium

Tropical Rain Forest

February 21 (Thu) at 15:30 - 17:00, 2019

Akiko Satake (Professor, Mathematical Biology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University)

In a unique phenomenon restricted to the tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia, hundreds of plant species from dozens of families reproduce synchronously at irregular, multi-year intervals. Although several hypotheses have been proposed, the proximate environmental cues that synchronize these general flowering events are uncertain. Fortunately, accumulation of long-term data and advanced statistical and modeling techniques are starting to shed new light on phenology of tropical plants. In this talk, series of studies that integrate long-term field monitoring, gene expression analyses, and modeling will be presented.

Venue: Okochi Hall, 1F Laser Science Laboratory, RIKEN

Broadcast: #311, Computational Science Research Building, R-CCS, Kobe Campus, RIKEN / SUURI-COOL (Kyoto), #204-205, 2F Maskawa Building for Education and Research, North Campus, Kyoto University / SUURI-COOL (Sendai), #303, 3F AIMR Main Building, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University

Event Official Language: English

Math Lecture

Theory of Operator Algebras

Theory of Operator Algebras (8th)

March 5 (Tue) at 14:00 - 15:00, 2019

Yosuke Kubota (Research Scientist, iTHEMS)

Title: An introduction to operator algebras

Abstract: Operators are linear maps from a (usually an infinite dimensional) linear space (most frequently the Hilbert space) to itself, which is like matrices of infinite degree. Operators form an algebra by obvious addition and multiplication. Operators appear in most of the fields in mathematics, in algebra, in geometry, in analysis, ... Some of the key words at the beginning of these lectures are "spectral theory" "operator algebras" "Tomita-Takesaki theory". These lectures are for non-professional people.

Venue: Seminar Room #160, 1F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: Japanese

Math Lecture

Theory of Operator Algebras

Theory of Operator Algebras (9th)

March 5 (Tue) at 15:30 - 16:30, 2019

Yosuke Kubota (Research Scientist, iTHEMS)

Title: An introduction to operator algebras

Abstract: Operators are linear maps from a (usually an infinite dimensional) linear space (most frequently the Hilbert space) to itself, which is like matrices of infinite degree. Operators form an algebra by obvious addition and multiplication. Operators appear in most of the fields in mathematics, in algebra, in geometry, in analysis, ... Some of the key words at the beginning of these lectures are "spectral theory" "operator algebras" "Tomita-Takesaki theory". These lectures are for non-professional people.

Venue: Seminar Room #160, 1F Main Research Building, RIKEN

Event Official Language: Japanese

Workshop

Workshop of Nuclear-Astrophysics by UKAKUREN/Japan Forum of Nuclear Astrophysics (JaFNA): Nuclear data & Heavy Element Nucleosynthesis

March 6 (Wed) - 8 (Fri), 2019

We are pleased to announce that we will have a meeting on Nuclear-Astrophysics at Hokkaido Univ. Especially this time we will focus on the impact of nuclear data & nucleosynthesis of heavy elements. Gravitational wave is another keyword.

This workshop is held by UKAKUREN (JaFNA), together with Nuclear Reaction Data Centre, Hokkaido University (JCPRG). This workshop is supported by iTHEMS, CNS, RCNP, NAOJ, KEK, and WNSC.

You are welcomed to join us. For registration, please fill in the attached form (in Japanese) and send it to: sec-ukakuren18@kek.jp by 30th November 2018.
We are looking forward to seeing you at Hokkaido U.

Organizers
T. Kajino (Chair), T. Kawabata (Osaka), H. Utsunomiya (Konan), S. Nishimura (RIKEN), H. Yamaguchi (CNS), T.Hayakawa (QST), T.Motobayashi (RIKEN),
K.Terada(Osaka), S.Nagataki(RIKEN), S.Chiba(TIT), T.Tamagawa(RIKEN), W.Aoki(NAOJ), S.Wanajo(AEI), S.Kubono(RIKEN), T.Shima(RCNP)

Venue: Hokkaido University Conference Hall

Event Official Language: Japanese

Colloquium

iTHEMS Colloquium

ZetaValue2019-iTHEMS Special Mathematics Colloquium

March 21 (Thu) at 14:00 - 17:30, 2019

Kohji Matsumoto (Professor, Nagoya University)
Jörn Steuding (University of Würzburg, Germany)

Prof. Kohji Matsumoto (Nagoya University)
"An overview of the theory of multiple zeta-functions"
Multiple zeta-functions are generalizations of the Riemann zeta-function, and its theory has been rapidly developed in these decades. It is connected with various fields of mathematics and mathematical physics. In this talk I will give an overview of some part of recent developments, mainly from the analytic viewpoint.

Prof. Jörn Steuding (University of Würzburg, Germany)
"On the Infinite in Number Theory"
Beginning with two simple examples from elementary number theory (one of diophantine origin and one of arithmetical nature), we discuss the role of “infinity” in number theory. We touch upon topics like how to find good rational approximations to irrational quantities and the distribution of prime numbers. We conclude with a motivation of the big open question in this field, namely, the Riemann hypothesis (one of the six unsolved millennium problems) and the Langlands program.

Venue: Okochi Hall, 1F Laser Science Laboratory, RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

Value distribution of zeta and L-functions and related topics thumbnail

Value distribution of zeta and L-functions and related topics

March 22 (Fri) - 27 (Wed), 2019

March 22–26, 2019
Main Conference (invited talks, posters and a limited number of short contributed talks)

Welcome Reception: March 22, 2019 (18:00~20:00)
Conference Dinner: March 25, 2019 (18:30~21:00)

March 27, 2019 (9:30~17:00)
One-day Workshop (a series of short contributed talks by young researchers to facilitate active discussions)

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Ade Irma Suriajaya (RIKEN)
Yoshinosuke Hirakawa (Keio University)
Masataka Ono (Kyushu University)
Shin-ichiro Seki (Tohoku University)
Keiju Sono (Ehime University)
Shingo Sugiyama (Nihon University)
Yuta Suzuki (Nagoya University)

ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tetsuo Hatsuda (RIKEN iTHEMS)
Kenichi Bannai (Keio University, RIKEN AIP Center)

Venue: Okochi Hall, 1F Laser Science Laboratory, RIKEN / Large Meeting Room, 2F Welfare and Conference Building (Cafeteria), RIKEN

Event Official Language: English

Workshop

iTHEMS-AIMR Joint Workshop "Medicine meets Mathematics"

March 29 (Fri) at 10:00 - 17:00, 2019

Speakers:
Takuya Ueda (Tohoku Univ. Hospital)
Noriaki Ogawa (RIKEN iTHEMS)
Takayuki Sakajo (Math. Dep., Kyoto Univ.)
Yoshiki Sugitani (AIMR, Tohoku Univ.)
Jun Seita (RIKEN MIH)
Tetsuro Sekine (Nippon Medical School Hospital)
Masato Taki (RIKEN iTHEMS)
Kenji Takizawa (Faculty of Sci. and Eng., Waseda U.)

Hosted by SUURI-COOL Sendai(iTHEMS-AIMR Mathematical Science Cooperative Lab.)
Co-hosted by iTHEMS, AIMR
Sponsored by CREST "New Challenges for Mathematical Modeling in Clinical Medicine"

Organizers: Hiroshi Suito (AIMR), Tetsuo Hatsuda (iTHEMS)

Venue: 3rd floor Lecture Theater, Katahira Campus, Tohoku University

Event Official Language: Japanese

School

AIMR Main Building venue photo

g-RIPS Sendai 2019

June 17 (Mon) - August 9 (Fri), 2019

GRIPS (Graduate-level Research in Industrial Projects for Students)-Sendai program was held last summer (June 18 - Aug. 10, 2018) with the support of iTHEMS as well as other institutions and companies. Two industrial projects were launched under the suggestion of TOYOTA and NEC, and two teams composed of US and Japanese students have worked intensively to find solutions of these problems. See for the details of the GRIPS program and the summary of activities at GRIPS-Sendai 2018.

This year, GRIPS-Sendai program will be held from June 17 through Aug. 9, 2019 with a larger scale under the support of iTHEMS. Stay tuned for further information.

Venue: 4F Research Space, AIMR Main Building, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University

Event Official Language: English

Hot Topic

Summary of RIKEN-Berkeley workshop on Quantum Information Science (RB19)

2019-02-08

RIKEN-Berkeley workshop on Quantum Information Science was held at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (building 66) from Jan.26 through 29, 2019.

The workshop was started with general introductions to LBNL, RIKEN, iTHEMS and Berkeley Quantum by Horst Simon, Motoko Kotani, Tetsuo Hatsuda and Jonathan Carter, respectively. Then we had stimulating talks and discussions on quantum computing, quantum materials and quantum sensing during the scientific sessions, followed by a panel discussion on the future collaborations between RIKEN and UCB/LBNL. We are going to explore further collaborations on the basis of the discussions of the workshop.

The program and the presentation slides can be seen from the related links below.

It should be remarked here that Jason Chang (iTHEMS Research Scientist) played essential roles to plan and organize the workshop, which is very much appreciated.

Photos: Horst Simon (LBNL)
Motoko Kotani (RIKEN)
Tetsuo Hatsuda (iTHEMS)
Jason Chang (iTHEMS/LBNL)
Seigo Tarucha (Tokyo/RIKEN)
Hidetoshi Nishimori (TIT)

Featured Paper of the Week

Jason Chang thumbnail

Quantum annealing for polynomial systems of equations

2019-02-07

The advent of Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) quantum computers has galvanized efforts towards discovering near-term applications. An algorithm for solving polynomial systems of equations was proposed by Dr. Chang (iTHEMS) in collaboration with Dr. Gambhir (Lawrence Livermore National Lab), Dr. Humble (Oak Ridge National Lab), and Dr. Sota (R-CCS) and implemented a linear solver on a D-Wave quantum annealer. While the problems are currently limited to sizes that are easily solved by classical computers, the team showed that the quantum algorithm exhibits constant scaling with increasing condition number, in direct contrast with classical methods. Additionally, the quantum algorithm may also be applied iteratively to exponentially decrease the relative residual, allowing for the classical solution to be reproduced by the quantum computer to single precision. However, the scaling with problem size is unfortunately exponentially bad, reflecting limitations of current quantum computers. Fortunately, there is a great amount of interest and effort put fourth by the greater quantum annealing community geared towards tackling this problem, including using inhomogeneous driving fields, reverse annealing, and even hardware developments towards universal quantum annealers.

Reference:
Chia Cheng Chang, Arjun Gambhir, Travis S. Humble, Shigetoshi Sota
"Quantum annealing for systems of polynomial equations"
Scientific Reports 9, 10258 (2019)
doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46729-0
arXiv: 1812.06917

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