Edmund Whittaker
Edmund Whittaker (October 24, 1873 - March 24, 1956) was a mathematician and analyst, in particular numerical analysis, but also worked on celestial mechanics and the history of applied mathematics and the history of physics. Whittaker was born in Southport, Lancashire, England.
Whittaker was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge in 1892. Whittaker graduated as Second Wrangler in the examination in 1895. In 1896, Whittaker was elected as a fellow of Trinity College. Whittaker wrote on the history of the theories of Aether and Electricity. He describe the state of physics from the the Age of Descartes to the close of the 1800s. Later, he would write the 1st account of this research between 1900 to 1925.
He researched differential equations derived from the hypergeometric equation. Whittaker published papers on algebraic functions and automorphic functions. Whittaker wrote expressions for the Bessel functions as integrals involving Legendre functions. Whittaker's developed a general solution of the Laplace equation in three dimensions and the solution of the wave equation.
Whittaker developed the electrical potential field as a bi-directional flow of energy (sometimes referred to as alternating currents). Whittaker' pair of papers in 1903 and 1904 indicated that any potential can be analyzed by a Fourier-like series of waves, such as a planet's gravitational field point-charge. The superpositions of inward and outward wave pairs produce the "static" fields (or scalar potential). These were harmonically-related. By this conception, the structure of electric potential is created from two opposite, though balanced, parts. Whittaker suggested that gravity possessed a wavelike "undulatory" character.
Whittaker was a Christian and became part of the Roman Catholic Church (1930). Whittaker was, in 1954, selected by the scientific Fellows of the Society to receive the Copley Medal award, the highest award granted by the Royal Society of London. Whittaker died in Edinburgh, Scotland.
See also: Magnetogravity
Publications
- Whittaker, Edmund, "The Calculus of Observations: a treatise on numerical mathematics". 1924.
- Whittaker, Edmund, "On an expression of the electromagnetic field due to electrons by means of two scalar potential functions". November, 1904.
- Whittaker, Edmund, "A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity, from the Age of Descartes to the Close of the Nineteenth Century". 1910. ISBN 0486261263
Futher readings
- Aitken, A. C., "The contributions of E T Whittaker to algebra and numerical analysis". Proceedure of the Edinburgh Mathical Society, 1958.
- Dingle, H., "Edmund T Whittaker, mathematician and historian". Science, 1956.
- Temple, G. F. J., "Edmund Taylor Whittaker". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society of London, 1956.
- "Whittaker Memorial Volume". Proceedure of the Edinburgh Mathical Society, 1958.
- Bearden, T. E., "Gravitobiology : Conception of Edmund Whittaker (papers of 1903-1904)". . Tesla Book Co., Chula Vista, CA, USA.
