Ergodic and Mixing Properties of Horocycle Flows - Lecture 1

Explore the first lecture in a six-part series on horocycle flows and their time-changes, focusing on homogeneous unipotent flows and uniformly parabolic dynamics. Begin with fundamental concepts including the group SL2(R), tangent spaces, matrix exponential, and the Haar measure. Examine the mathematical foundations of homogeneous flows, the action of PSL2(R) on the hyperbolic plane, and the Casimir operator. Learn about adjoint operations, Lie brackets, and the Killing Form while understanding their relationships to horocycle flows. Delve into the course's broader scope, which progresses through ergodicity, mixing properties, time-changes, Ratner's Rigidity Theorem, and applications beyond SL2(R). Master essential mathematical constructs that serve as building blocks for understanding the ergodic and mixing properties of these complex dynamical systems.