Special zeros of p-adic L-functions

Thursday, October 1 2009

Speaker:  Michael Spiess, University of Bielefeld, Germany

Title:  Special zeros of p-adic L-functions

Abstract:  Zeta functions (like the Riemann Zeta function), or more generally L-functions of algebraic varieties, are of great importance to number theory. For example their values at integral points often reveal deep relations between different types of arithmetic invariants.

In this talk we introduce p-adic L-functions (in particular of elliptic curves). These are functions of a p-adic variable. They are of similar significance to number theory as classical L-functions. In the last part of my talk I shall explain the phenomena of trivial zeros of p-adic L-functions of elliptic curves.