2
$\begingroup$

I am considering a PhD research topic. I only have a math Bachelor's degree with working experience mostly in teaching and I have been working on a paper. I have deep interest in Fourier Series and Transform, apart from other topics. I would like to know if there are intersection between Fourier analysis and the topics of: group theory, number theory, or dynamical systems.

*In addition to this, does age matter in Math PhD selection? I am 31 with 6 years of teaching experience and with 1 paper hopefully wrapped up this year.

$\endgroup$
2
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ I have voted to close your question not because it is not interesting nor badly posed: it is simply enormously broad. Fourier analysis has deep ties with each of the subjects you list, so how could we hope to give a satisfactory answer within the limits of a simple Q&A? My advice is to talk with your professor and hear what they say. On the age: everything matters and Hardy argued that mathematics is a young people game. Nevertheless Vietoris wrote his last research paper when he was 98, while Vladimir Maz'ya is 86 and still writes several research papers, so don't mind your age: work. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 6, 2023 at 8:03
  • $\begingroup$ I think some users approach MO-Q&As as if they should be definitively posed and answered within the orthodox criteria of the appointed creators and judges of some Math Olympiad contest. Others, like me, see many Q&As as the start of a conversation that may help others in their explorations. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 9, 2023 at 17:45

3 Answers 3

2
$\begingroup$

Fourier analysis indeed has deep connections with all listed topics. I recommend the classical article on this

Mackey, George W. Harmonic analysis as the exploitation of symmetry—a historical survey. Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. (N.S.) 3 (1980), no. 1, part 1, 543–698.

On the second question, the age does matter (earlier you start better chances of success), but it is not crucial. There are examples of very successful careers in mathematics which started at a later age.

$\endgroup$
2
$\begingroup$

Firstly, please, do not regard me as any kind of authority in the topics of fourier analysis or number theory (I'm 17 y.o. without any formal degree in mathematics), but let me show you an example of usage of Fourier analysis in number theory which, in my opinion, is simply beautiful.

A very anticipated conjecture is the one of Goldbach, stating that for any even number $N \geqslant 4$ the equation $$N = p_1 + p_2$$ has a solution with $p_1,p_2$ being prime numbers. A weaker version, known as the ternary Goldbach conjecture, states that for any odd number $N \geqslant 5$ the equation $$N = p_1 + p_2 + p_3$$ has a solution with $p_1,p_2,p_3$ being primes. This result has been proven by Vinogradov for all sufficiently large $N$ in a very specific way. Vinogradov lets $$S(\alpha) = \sum_{k \leqslant N}\Lambda(k)e(k\alpha)$$ where $\Lambda$ is von Mangoldt's function and $e(x) = e^{2 \pi i x}$. Then $$S(\alpha)^3 = \sum_{n \leqslant 3N}\left(\sum_{k_1 + k_2 + k_3 = n; k_1,k_2,k_2\leqslant N}\Lambda(k_1)\Lambda(k_2)\Lambda(k_3)\right)e(n\alpha).$$ Denoting the coefficients by $r(n,N)$, we have $$r(n,N) = \int_{0}^{1}S(\alpha)e(-n\alpha) d\alpha.$$ From this point the proof gets rather technical, but one can show that $$r(n,N) = \frac{1}{2}G(n)n^2 + O\left(\frac{n^2}{(\log n)^A}\right)$$ which has a direct impact on the number of solutions $(p_1,p_2,p_3)$ to the equation in conjecture.

I thinks this already shows well-enough how some of the Fourier analysis methods can be used in number theory. A more recent example might be this paper by James Maynard, which shows that there are infinitely many prime numbers without one of the digits in their decimal representation. Here the proof is based on the Fourier transform of the set $$ \mathcal{A}_1 = \left\{ \sum_{0 \leqslant i \leqslant k}n_{i}10^{i} \colon n_{i} \in \{0,\ldots,9\} \setminus \{a_0\}, k \geqslant 0 \right\}$$ for a given digit $a_{0} \in \{0,\ldots,9\}$.

I hope this helps :)

$\endgroup$
1
$\begingroup$

You should seriously explore the literature for connections among the integral transforms, the Fourier, Mellin, and Laplace transforms, and the variety of fields you mention. Here are just a few of the crossroads I've noted here on MO:

  1. "Applications of number theory in dynamical systems"

  2. "Why is the Fourier transform so ubiquitous?"

  3. "History of the Sampling Theorem" and "Newton series and Fourier transform - is there an analogy?"

  4. "Meaning of a quote of Doubilet, Rota and Stanley on harmonic analysis and combinatorics"

  5. "Explaining Mukai-Fourier transforms physically"

  6. "Ramanujan's Master Formula: A proof and relation to umbral calculus"

  7. "What does Mellin inversion "really mean"?"

  8. "Geometric interpretation of the half-derivative?"

Search on Fourier in the books "Zeta Functions of Graphs A Stroll through the Garden" and "Harmonic Analysis on Symmetric Spaces and Applications I" by Audrey Terras for crossroads as well.

Harmonic analysis provides inroads to pretty much any field of math and physics. As one last example, the Lagrange inversion formula, incredibly important in combinatorics and related geometry / topology, algebra, and analysis, can be derived from a transformation of a Laplace transform of the derivative of a function, so there are plenty of trails to explore in mathematics intersecting with the integral transforms.

Simple advice: Do not rely only on your prof to introduce you to the tremendous variety of topics unless he is someone like a John von Neumann. As far as your age--you're only as old as your heart (get or stay in good physical shape and follow your passions).

$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .