Title: $G_2$ conifolds: desingularization, deformation, and construction?
Speaker: Spiro Karigiannis
Date: Friday, August 22, 2014
Time: 03:30pm-4:30pm
Place: Seminar Room 313, Simons Center
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Abstract: $G_2$ “manifolds” with singularities are supposed to play an important role in M-theory. Cone-like singularities are the simplest type to consider. I will introduce $G_2$ cones and discuss the interesting geometry of their links: strictly nearly Kahler 6-manifolds. Then I will discuss $G_2$ conifolds: both the asymptotically conical (AC) version, with explicit examples being the Bryant-Salamon manifolds, as well as the conically singular (CS) version, of which there currently exist no examples. I will then give a survey of results on $G_2$ conifolds: desingularization (K-, 2008), deformation theory (K-Lotay, 2014), and possible constructions of CS $G_2$ conifolds (K-Lotay, 2016?).