Overview of Pluripotential Theory

Time: 9:30, Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Venue: Room 302,  A5 Building

Abstract:  I present a brief historical overview of potential theory, from its origins in electrostatics and the Poisson equation to its modern developments. We discuss Gauss’s foundational problems and the Dirichlet principle, as well as the analytical difficulties that led to new methods. In particular, the introduction of subharmonic functions and the Perron method provides a robust approach to solving boundary value problems. Finally, we explain how these ideas extend to several complex variables via plurisubharmonic functions, forming the basis of pluripotential theory in complex geometry.