Algebraic groups over local fields as inspiration and test cases for the study of totally disconnected, locally compact groups

Udo Baumgartner

Abstract

Today there is renewed interest in the general structure theory of locally compact groups. This is due to the breakthrough results of George Willis in the totally disconnected case. I will outline how algebraic groups over local fields and their generalizations have informed and continue to inform the development of the structure theory of locally compact, totally disconnected groups.