Joint IAS/Princeton University Number Theory Seminar

We will talk about a proof of Manin's conjecture on the asymptotic density of rational points of bounded height for the special case of a compactification of a semisimple algebraic group defined over a number field. The main tool is the mixing property (or equivalently, the decay of matrix coefficients) of the quasi-regular representation of the associated Adele group. No background on algebraic geometry or adeles will be assumed. (This is a joint work with Gorodnik and Maucourant)