Charles W. Misner
Encyclopedia
Charles W. Misner is an American physicist and one of the authors of Gravitation
. His specialties include general relativity
and cosmology
. His work has also provided early foundations for studies of quantum gravity
and numerical relativity
.
degree from the University of Notre Dame
in 1952. He then moved to Princeton University
where he earned an M.A.
in 1954 and completed his Ph.D. in 1957. His dissertation, Outline of Feynman Quantization of General Relativity; Derivation of Field Equations; Vanishing of The Hamiltonian, was completed under John Wheeler
.
Prior to completing his Ph.D., Misner joined the faculty of Princeton Physics Department with the rank of Instructor (1956-1959) and was subsequently promoted to assistant professor (1959-1963). In 1963 he moved to the University of Maryland, College Park
as an associate professor and achieved full professor status there in 1966.
Since 2000, Misner has been Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Maryland
, where he continues to be a member of the Gravitation Theory Group. During his career, Misner advised 22 Ph.D. students primarily at Princeton and at the University of Maryland.
Misner has held visiting positions at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
(also known as the Albert Einstein Institute); the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara
; the Pontifical Academy of Cracow (Poland); the Institute for Physical Problems
in Moscow (during the time of the Soviet Union
); the California Institute of Technology
, the University of Oxford
, and the University of Cambridge
.
, which describes the gravitation
al interactions of very mass
ive bodies. He has contributed to the early understanding of cosmology
, the role of topology
in general relativity, quantum gravity
, and numerical relativity
. In the areas of cosmology and topology, he first studied the mixmaster universe
, which he devised in an attempt to better understand the dynamics of the early universe, and developed a solution to the Einstein field equation that is now known as Misner space. Together with Richard Arnowitt
and Stanley Deser
, he published a Hamiltonian
formulation of the Einstein equation that split Einstein's
unified spacetime
back into separated space and time. This set of equations, known as the ADM formalism
, plays a role in some attempts to unify quantum mechanics
with general relativity. It is also the mathematical starting point for most techniques for numerically solving the Einstein equations.
Gravitation (book)
In physics, Gravitation is a very important reference book on Einstein's theory of gravity by Charles W. Misner, Kip S. Thorne, and John Archibald Wheeler. Often considered the "Bible" of General Relativity by researchers for its prominence. It is frequently called MTW after its authors' initials....
. His specialties include general relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
and cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
. His work has also provided early foundations for studies of quantum gravity
Quantum gravity
Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics which attempts to develop scientific models that unify quantum mechanics with general relativity...
and numerical relativity
Numerical relativity
Numerical relativity is one of the branches of general relativity that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems. To this end, supercomputers are often employed to study black holes, gravitational waves, neutron stars and many other phenomena governed by Einstein's Theory...
.
Academic Training and University Positions
Misner received his B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in 1952. He then moved to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
where he earned an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1954 and completed his Ph.D. in 1957. His dissertation, Outline of Feynman Quantization of General Relativity; Derivation of Field Equations; Vanishing of The Hamiltonian, was completed under John Wheeler
John Archibald Wheeler
John Archibald Wheeler was an American theoretical physicist who was largely responsible for reviving interest in general relativity in the United States after World War II. Wheeler also worked with Niels Bohr in explaining the basic principles behind nuclear fission...
.
Prior to completing his Ph.D., Misner joined the faculty of Princeton Physics Department with the rank of Instructor (1956-1959) and was subsequently promoted to assistant professor (1959-1963). In 1963 he moved to the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
as an associate professor and achieved full professor status there in 1966.
Since 2000, Misner has been Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, where he continues to be a member of the Gravitation Theory Group. During his career, Misner advised 22 Ph.D. students primarily at Princeton and at the University of Maryland.
Misner has held visiting positions at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics is a Max Planck Institute whose research is aimed at investigating Einstein’s theory of relativity and beyond: Mathematics, quantum gravity, astrophysical relativity, and gravitational wave astronomy...
(also known as the Albert Einstein Institute); the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
; the Pontifical Academy of Cracow (Poland); the Institute for Physical Problems
Institute for Physical Problems
P.L. Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Institute was founded in 1934. The founder of the Institute, Prof. Kapitsa served as its head for many years. The head of the theoretical division of the Institute was Prof. Landau. The primary direction of...
in Moscow (during the time of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
); the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Research
Most of Misner's research and professional writing fall into the broad area of general relativityGeneral relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
, which describes the gravitation
Gravitation
Gravitation, or gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped...
al interactions of very mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
ive bodies. He has contributed to the early understanding of cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
, the role of topology
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
in general relativity, quantum gravity
Quantum gravity
Quantum gravity is the field of theoretical physics which attempts to develop scientific models that unify quantum mechanics with general relativity...
, and numerical relativity
Numerical relativity
Numerical relativity is one of the branches of general relativity that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems. To this end, supercomputers are often employed to study black holes, gravitational waves, neutron stars and many other phenomena governed by Einstein's Theory...
. In the areas of cosmology and topology, he first studied the mixmaster universe
Mixmaster universe
The Mixmaster Universe is a solution to Einstein's field equations of general relativity studied by Charles Misner in an effort to better understand the dynamics of the early universe...
, which he devised in an attempt to better understand the dynamics of the early universe, and developed a solution to the Einstein field equation that is now known as Misner space. Together with Richard Arnowitt
Richard Arnowitt
Richard Lewis Arnowitt is an American physicist known for his contributions to theoretical particle physics and to general relativity.Arnowitt is a Distinguished Professor at Texas A&M University, where he is a member of the Department of Physics....
and Stanley Deser
Stanley Deser
Stanley Deser is an American physicist known for his contributions to general relativity. Currently, he is the Ancell Professor of Physics at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts....
, he published a Hamiltonian
Hamilton's principle
In physics, Hamilton's principle is William Rowan Hamilton's formulation of the principle of stationary action...
formulation of the Einstein equation that split Einstein's
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
unified spacetime
Spacetime
In physics, spacetime is any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single continuum. Spacetime is usually interpreted with space as being three-dimensional and time playing the role of a fourth dimension that is of a different sort from the spatial dimensions...
back into separated space and time. This set of equations, known as the ADM formalism
ADM formalism
The ADM Formalism developed in 1959 by Richard Arnowitt, Stanley Deser and Charles W. Misner is a Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity...
, plays a role in some attempts to unify quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
with general relativity. It is also the mathematical starting point for most techniques for numerically solving the Einstein equations.
See also
- Kip ThorneKip ThorneKip Stephen Thorne is an American theoretical physicist, known for his prolific contributions in gravitation physics and astrophysics and for having trained a generation of scientists...
- John Archibald WheelerJohn Archibald WheelerJohn Archibald Wheeler was an American theoretical physicist who was largely responsible for reviving interest in general relativity in the United States after World War II. Wheeler also worked with Niels Bohr in explaining the basic principles behind nuclear fission...
- Mixmaster universeMixmaster universeThe Mixmaster Universe is a solution to Einstein's field equations of general relativity studied by Charles Misner in an effort to better understand the dynamics of the early universe...
- ADM energy
- ADM formalismADM formalismThe ADM Formalism developed in 1959 by Richard Arnowitt, Stanley Deser and Charles W. Misner is a Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity...
External links
- http://www.physics.umd.edu/grt/people/charles.html
- http://www2.physics.umd.edu/~misner/cwmstud.pdf