This monograph is an exposition of the theory of central simple algebras with involution, in relation to linear algebraic groups. It provides the algebra-theoretic foundations for much of the recent work on linear algebraic groups over arbitrary fields. Involutions are viewed as twisted forms of (hermitian) quadrics, leading to new developments on the model of the algebraic theory of quadratic forms. In addition to classical groups, phenomena related to triality are also discussed, as well as groups of type $F_4$ or $G_2$ arising from exceptional Jordan or composition algebras. Several results and notions appear here for the first time, notably the discriminant algebra of an algebra with unitary involution and the algebra-theoretic counterpart to linear groups of type $D_4$. This volume also contains a Bibliography and Index. Features: original material not in print elsewhere a comprehensive discussion of algebra-theoretic and group-theoretic aspects extensive notes that give historical perspective and a survey on the literature rational methods that allow possible generalization to more general base rings

The book provides a self-contained account of the formal theory of general, i.e. also under- and overdetermined, systems of differential equations which in its central notion of involution combines geometric, algebraic, homological and combinatorial ideas.

This book contains the results of work done during the years 1967-1970 on fixed-point-free involutions on manifolds, and is an enlarged version of the author's doctoral dissertation [54J written under the direction of Professor William Browder. The subject of fixed-paint-free involutions, as part of the subject of group actions on manifolds, has been an important source of problems, examples and ideas in topology for the last four decades, and receives renewed attention every time a new technical development suggests new questions and methods ([62, 8, 24, 63J). Here we consider mainly those properties of fixed-point-free involutions that can be best studied using the techniques of surgery on manifolds. This approach to the subject was initiated by Browder and Livesay. Special attention is given here to involutions of homotopy spheres, but even for this particular case, a more general theory is very useful. Two important related topics that we do not touch here are those of involutions with fixed points, and the relationship between fixed-point-free involutions and free Sl-actions. For these topics, the reader is referred to [23J, and to [33J, [61J, [82J, respectively. The two main problems we attack are those of classification of involutions, and the existence and uniqueness of invariant submanifolds with certain properties. As will be seen, these problems are closely related. If (T, l'n) is a fixed-point-free involution of a homotopy sphere l'n, the quotient l'n/Tis called a homotopy projective space.

This open access textbook presents a comprehensive treatment of the arithmetic theory of quaternion algebras and orders, a subject with applications in diverse areas of mathematics. Written to be accessible and approachable to the graduate student reader, this text collects and synthesizes results from across the literature. Numerous pathways offer explorations in many different directions, while the unified treatment makes this book an essential reference for students and researchers alike. Divided into five parts, the book begins with a basic introduction to the noncommutative algebra underlying the theory of quaternion algebras over fields, including the relationship to quadratic forms. An in-depth exploration of the arithmetic of quaternion algebras and orders follows. The third part considers analytic aspects, starting with zeta functions and then passing to an idelic approach, offering a pathway from local to global that includes strong approximation. Applications of unit groups of quaternion orders to hyperbolic geometry and low-dimensional topology follow, relating geometric and topological properties to arithmetic invariants. Arithmetic geometry completes the volume, including quaternionic aspects of modular forms, supersingular elliptic curves, and the moduli of QM abelian surfaces. Quaternion Algebras encompasses a vast wealth of knowledge at the intersection of many fields. Graduate students interested in algebra, geometry, and number theory will appreciate the many avenues and connections to be explored. Instructors will find numerous options for constructing introductory and advanced courses, while researchers will value the all-embracing treatment. Readers are assumed to have some familiarity with algebraic number theory and commutative algebra, as well as the fundamentals of linear algebra, topology, and complex analysis. More advanced topics call upon additional background, as noted, though essential concepts and motivation are recapped throughout.

This book is a reader-friendly introduction to the theory of symmetric functions, and it includes fundamental topics such as the monomial, elementary, homogeneous, and Schur function bases; the skew Schur functions; the Jacobi–Trudi identities; the involution ω ω; the Hall inner product; Cauchy's formula; the RSK correspondence and how to implement it with both insertion and growth diagrams; the Pieri rules; the Murnaghan–Nakayama rule; Knuth equivalence; jeu de taquin; and the Littlewood–Richardson rule. The book also includes glimpses of recent developments and active areas of research, including Grothendieck polynomials, dual stable Grothendieck polynomials, Stanley's chromatic symmetric function, and Stanley's chromatic tree conjecture. Written in a conversational style, the book contains many motivating and illustrative examples. Whenever possible it takes a combinatorial approach, using bijections, involutions, and combinatorial ideas to prove algebraic results. The prerequisites for this book are minimal—familiarity with linear algebra, partitions, and generating functions is all one needs to get started. This makes the book accessible to a wide array of undergraduates interested in combinatorics.

Winner of the MLA Prize for Independent Scholars Taking the reader on an inward journey from façades to closets, from physical to psychic space, Architectural Involutions offers an alternative genealogy of theater by revealing how innovations in architectural writing and practice transformed an early modern sense of interiority. The book launches from a matrix of related “platforms”—a term that in early modern usage denoted scaffolds, stages, and draftsmen’s sketches—to situate Alberti, Shakespeare, Jonson, and others within a landscape of spatial and visual change. As the English house underwent a process of inward folding, replacing a logic of central assembly with one of dissemination, the subject who negotiated this new scenography became a flashpoint of conflict in both domestic and theatrical arenas. Combining theory with archival findings, Mimi Yiu reveals an emergent desire to perform subjectivity, to unfold an interior face to an admiring public. Highly praised for its lucid writing, comprehensive supplementary material, and engaging tone, Architectural Involutions was the winner of the 2016 MLA Prize for Independent Scholars.