USNA Mathematics Department seminar

The talks for the academic year 1999-2000 are held Wednesday in Chauvenet 116 at 3:45 pm unless otherwise stated.

Speaker:

Bob Lockhart

USNA

Title:

Optimal ensemble length of seperable density matrices: why applied mathematicians need to know differential topology

Abstract: A separable density matrix is a positive semidefinite hermitean matrix with trace 1 that is the convex combination of tensor products of pure states (ie rank one). The set of such is convex, closed and has a non-empty interior. But it is next to impossible to figure how many products one needs in convex combination to produce a separable density matrix. I will talk about some results I got this summer.

Time: Wednesday, August 25, 1999

Reception at 3:30 in the common room on the 3rd floor of Chauvenet Hall.