Date:	Wed, September 21, 2011
Time:	17:15
Place:	Research II Lecture Hall

Abstract: The joint spectral characteristics of matrices such as the joint spectral radius and the Lyapunov exponent have been known since the early sixties of the last century. We discuss some applications of this notion in wavelet theory, approximation (subdivision and cutting-corner algorithms), and probability (distributions of random power series). We also mention one of the most intriguing problems of that theory: how to compute or estimate those characteristics for a given set of matrices? Some classical and new results in this direction will be presented.