Seminarium Gamma

Contact geometry is an odd-dimensional analogue to symplectic geometry. Hamiltonian systems based on contact geometry can describe systems with dissipation. The Lagrangian description of contact Hamiltonian systems is given by an variational principle known as Herglotz’ principle. In this seminar, we will discuss the continuous and discrete versions of Herglotz’ principle and how they can be used to construct variational integrators for contact systems. We will discuss abstract geometric considerations side by side with concrete examples in coordinates.