BİLKENT
ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGY SEMINAR

"Finite Group Actions on Kervaire Manifolds"

By

IAN HAMBLETON

(McMaster
University)

Abstract:  The Kervaire manifolds are  closed,
oriented, almost framed PL manifolds in dimension 4k+2 with Arf
invariant 1. In certain exceptional dimensions (2, 6, 14, 30, 62 and perhaps
126) there exist smooth  Kervaire
manifolds. The talk will be about the existence of free smooth or PL actions of
finite groups on Kervaire manifolds, starting with
the existence of free involutions. In contrast with a product of spheres S^{2k+1} \times S^{2k+1}, it turns out that the Kervaire manifolds have very restricted symmetry. This is joint
work (in progress) with Diarmuid Crowley.

Date:
Monday, May  14, 2012

Time: 13.40-14.30

Place: Mathematics Seminar Room,
SA-141

Tea
and cookies will be served after the talk.