Aleksandr Kotelnikov
Encyclopedia
Aleksandr Petrovich Kotelnikov (1865 – 1944) was a Russian mathematician
specializing in geometric algebra
.
Kotelnikov graduated from Kazan University in 1884 and began teaching at a gymnasium. He began graduate work in mechanics
and started instructing at the university in 1893. For his doctorate in 1899 he wrote on the projective theory of vectors. As an advocate of the quaternion
s, Kotelnikov represented the Quaternion Society in Russia. He moved to Kiev
where he was professor and head of the department of pure mathematics until 1904. Returning to Kazan
, he headed the mathematics department until 1914. He was at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute
directing the department of Theoretical Mechanics until 1924, when he moved to Moscow
and took up teaching at Bauman Technical University.
Nikolai Lobachevsky was a colleague of P.I. Kotelnikov, Aleksandr's father. Since Lobachevky's contribution to geometry
, namely hyperbolic geometry
, was so unorthodox, it was widely dismissed, but not by P.I Kotelnikov who publicly praised the innovation. Aleksandr organized the publication of Lobachevsky's writings after his death. He was also the editor of the collected works of Nikolai Zhukovsky, the father of Russian aerodynamics
.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
specializing in geometric algebra
Geometric algebra
Geometric algebra , together with the associated Geometric calculus, provides a comprehensive alternative approach to the algebraic representation of classical, computational and relativistic geometry. GA now finds application in all of physics, in graphics and in robotics...
.
Kotelnikov graduated from Kazan University in 1884 and began teaching at a gymnasium. He began graduate work in mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
and started instructing at the university in 1893. For his doctorate in 1899 he wrote on the projective theory of vectors. As an advocate of the quaternion
Quaternion
In mathematics, the quaternions are a number system that extends the complex numbers. They were first described by Irish mathematician Sir William Rowan Hamilton in 1843 and applied to mechanics in three-dimensional space...
s, Kotelnikov represented the Quaternion Society in Russia. He moved to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
where he was professor and head of the department of pure mathematics until 1904. Returning to Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, he headed the mathematics department until 1914. He was at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute
Kiev Polytechnic Institute
The National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” is a major university in Kiev, Ukraine.-History:The institute was founded in 1898. At that time it had four departments: Mechanical, Chemical, Agricultural, and Civil Engineering. The first enrolment constituted 360 students...
directing the department of Theoretical Mechanics until 1924, when he moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and took up teaching at Bauman Technical University.
Nikolai Lobachevsky was a colleague of P.I. Kotelnikov, Aleksandr's father. Since Lobachevky's contribution to geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
, namely hyperbolic geometry
Hyperbolic geometry
In mathematics, hyperbolic geometry is a non-Euclidean geometry, meaning that the parallel postulate of Euclidean geometry is replaced...
, was so unorthodox, it was widely dismissed, but not by P.I Kotelnikov who publicly praised the innovation. Aleksandr organized the publication of Lobachevsky's writings after his death. He was also the editor of the collected works of Nikolai Zhukovsky, the father of Russian aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
.
Works
- The Cross-Product Calculus and Certain of its Applications in Geometry and Mechanics, Kazan, 1885.
- The Projective Theory of Vectors, Kazan, 1899.
- Introduction to Theoretical Mechanics, Moscow-Leningrad, 1925.
- "The Principle of Relativity and Lobachevsky's Geometry", Kazan, 1927.
- "The Theory of Vectors and Complex Numbers", Moscow-Leningrad, 1950.