Discrete geometric analysis is a discrete version of geometric analysis. When we develop discrete geometric notions, it is important to compare them with corresponding geometric notions defined on a Riemannian manifold. In the case of a crystal lattice, a periodic lattice in the d-dimensional Euclidean space, we change scales smaller and smaller, it converges to a d-dimensional vector space, and random walks on a crystal lattice converges to the Brownian motion of the vector space with the Euclidean metric induced by the standard realization of the crystal lattice. In the case of a discrete surface, in the 3-vector space, we cannot apply that scheme because it does not have a linear structure. Instead of scale change, we subdivide the discrete surface to have a finer discrete surface. In that way, we have a sequence of subdivided discrete surfaces, and discuss convergence of geometric notions. We share examples of applications of the convergence theories to the study of materials research.
小古元子(Kotani Motoko)日本東北大学科研副校长,大学院理学研究科数学专攻教授,材料科学高等研究所教授。曾任日本数学会理事长,東北大学材料科学高等研究所所长等;并获第25届猿桥奖,東北大学校长特别奖以及東北大学校长教育奖等。小古元子教授主要从事于微分几何以及大范围分析的研究,开创性的将几何分析运用到材料科学领域,并建立了新兴的几何理论--离散几何分析。