AIMS Seminar | James Hornick (McMaster University)
Mar 30, 2026
11:30AM to 12:30PM
Date/Time
Date(s) - 30/03/2026
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Speaker: James Hornick (McMaster University)
Location: Hamilton Hall, Room 403 (AIMS Lab)
Title: Nonlocal infinite dimensional symmetries and linearization maps
Abstract: We study the linearization of nonlinear partial differential equations through the structure of their infinite-dimensional symmetry algebras (IDS). Two distinct regimes arise: in the first, the IDS can be realized as a local symmetry (possibly in a covering), in which case it directly encodes both the target linear equation and the linearizing transformation; in the second, the IDS cannot be made local, and symmetry-derived nonlinear superposition principles (NLSPs)—which rely on a local IDS—fail. The mapping-equation approach remains applicable, but becomes nontrivial: the target linear equation is no longer known a priori, and the construction of the mapping requires nontrivial ansatz choices.