05/03: Carlangelo Liverani

Abstract:  The study of the statistical properties of billiards has seen a rapid evolution in the last 25 years and many new ideas have been developed to further their study. Yet there are many interesting models (such as open systems, time varying billiards and, most of all, the Random Lorentz gas) for which the current techniques are not optimal. To overcome this  state of affairs we have attempted to adapt to billiards the projective cones techniques that has proven very effective in related problems. I will first describe such a technique in a simple case, then I will discuss its application to billiards. (work in collaboration with Mark Demers).