PMATH800: Topics in real and complex analysis -- Riemann surfaces Geometry

PMATH800: Topics in real and complex analysis -- Riemann surfaces


Lectures: MWF 11:30--12:20 (MC 5136B).
Office hours: T 10:00--12:00 and Th 15:00--17:00.
Course information: Outline.


Overview: Riemann surfaces can be defined in several different, equivalent ways, for example as one-dimensional complex manifolds, or as oriented two-dimensional real manifolds. In addition, any compact Riemann surface can be embedded in projective space, thus giving it the structure of an algebraic curve. Riemann surfaces therefore appear in many areas of mathematics, from complex analysis, algebraic and differential geometry, to algebraic topology and number theory. This course will cover fundamentals of the theory of compact Riemann surfaces from an analytic and topological perspective. The course should be accessible to students who have taken PMATH 352 (Complex Analysis) or an equivalent course.


Outline of topics: Riemann surfaces (definitions and examples, algebraic curves, quotients, modular curves); holomorphic maps; elliptic functions (Weierstrass and theta functions); sheaves and analytic continuation; maps between Riemann surfaces (basic properties, covering maps, monodromy and the Riemann Existence Theorem); holomorphic and meromorphic forms; de Rham and Dolbeault cohomology; harmonic forms and the Hodge decomposition; cohomology of sheaves; Riemann-Roch; Serre duality; maps to projective space; Riemann-Hurwitz formula; curves and their Jacobian; factors of automorphy and line bundles; automorphic forms; theta divisors and the Torelli Theorem (time permitting); the Uniformisation Theorem (time permitting).


Required text: O. Forster, Lectures on Riemann Surfaces, Springer-Verlag, 1981

Additional references:


Lecture, 13 January 2014
Last example from lecture, 17 January 2014
Stokes' Theorem
Dolbeault lemma
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4