Edwin Power
Encyclopedia
Edwin Albert Power was an English physicist and a emeritus professor of applied mathematics
at University College London
. He made several contributions to the field of non-relativististic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED).
, England
on 12 February 1928. He obtained his B.Sc and M.Sc in mathematics from University College London
in 1948 and 1949 respectivelly. He obtained his Ph.D under the supervision of John Currie Gunn
at the University of Glasgow
, for which he obtained the Kelvin Prize
in 1951 (the prize recognizes the best physics thesis of the year). His doctoral work concerned meson
production from proton
–proton collision
s.
After his Ph.D, he worked at University College, where became professor of applied mathematics in 1967, and fellow in 1991. In 1953, he became a Commonwealth Fund Fellow. He then spent two years in the United States, one at Cornell University
, one at Princeton University
. While at Princeton, he and John Wheeler
worked on electromagnetism and gravity, resulting in the proposition of "thermal geons
" in a paper published in Reviews of Modern Physics
in 1957.
Power then researched non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED), particularly the interactions between radiation fields and particles, and developed several techniques. In 1959, he and Sigurd Zienau
published a paper on the Coulomb gauge and its relation to the shape of spectral line
s, non-relativistic Lamb shift, and other phenomena in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A. Power also studied the relation between quantum electrodynamics
(QED) and various optical
and molecular phenomena
. In 1964, he published a book, Introductory Quantum Electrodynamics, based on a series of lectures he gave in Chile and the US.
Power retired as a professor in 1992, but remained active in research until his death following a short illness. He died on 31 January 2004, in London
, England
.
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He made several contributions to the field of non-relativististic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED).
Life
Power was born in HonitonHoniton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 12 February 1928. He obtained his B.Sc and M.Sc in mathematics from University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1948 and 1949 respectivelly. He obtained his Ph.D under the supervision of John Currie Gunn
John Currie Gunn
Sir John Currie Gunn CBE, FRSE was an influential Scottish scientist.Gunn was born in Glasgow and educated at the University of Glasgow, and St John's College, Cambridge....
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, for which he obtained the Kelvin Prize
Kelvin Prize
The Kelvin Medal and Prize is awarded by the Institute of Physics. It was established in 1994 and named after Lord Kelvin. The prize is awarded each year to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the public understanding of physics.-Kelvin Medallists:...
in 1951 (the prize recognizes the best physics thesis of the year). His doctoral work concerned meson
Meson
In particle physics, mesons are subatomic particles composed of one quark and one antiquark, bound together by the strong interaction. Because mesons are composed of sub-particles, they have a physical size, with a radius roughly one femtometer: 10−15 m, which is about the size of a proton...
production from proton
Proton
The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol or and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom, along with neutrons. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number....
–proton collision
Collision
A collision is an isolated event which two or more moving bodies exert forces on each other for a relatively short time.Although the most common colloquial use of the word "collision" refers to accidents in which two or more objects collide, the scientific use of the word "collision" implies...
s.
After his Ph.D, he worked at University College, where became professor of applied mathematics in 1967, and fellow in 1991. In 1953, he became a Commonwealth Fund Fellow. He then spent two years in the United States, one at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, one at 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....
. While at Princeton, he and 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...
worked on electromagnetism and gravity, resulting in the proposition of "thermal geons
Geon (physics)
In theoretical general relativity, a geon is an electromagnetic or gravitational wave which is held together in a confined region by the gravitational attraction of its own field energy. They were first investigated theoretically in 1955 by J. A...
" in a paper published in Reviews of Modern Physics
Reviews of Modern Physics
The Reviews of Modern Physics is a journal of the American Physical Society. The journal started in paper form. All volumes are also online by subscription.Issue 1, Volume 1 consisted of the review by...
in 1957.
Power then researched non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED), particularly the interactions between radiation fields and particles, and developed several techniques. In 1959, he and Sigurd Zienau
Sigurd Zienau
-Education:His undergraduate studies were in mathematics at Birkbeck College. His further studies in physics were very much in the 'old school' European style at the time and he variously studied under Walter Heitler, Wolfgang Pauli, and Herbert Fröhlich.-Career:...
published a paper on the Coulomb gauge and its relation to the shape of spectral line
Spectral line
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from a deficiency or excess of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies.- Types of line spectra :...
s, non-relativistic Lamb shift, and other phenomena in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A. Power also studied the relation between quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics is the relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. In essence, it describes how light and matter interact and is the first theory where full agreement between quantum mechanics and special relativity is achieved...
(QED) and various optical
Optics
Optics is the branch of physics which involves the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behavior of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light...
and molecular phenomena
Molecular physics
Molecular physics is the study of the physical properties of molecules, the chemical bonds between atoms as well as the molecular dynamics. Its most important experimental techniques are the various types of spectroscopy...
. In 1964, he published a book, Introductory Quantum Electrodynamics, based on a series of lectures he gave in Chile and the US.
Power retired as a professor in 1992, but remained active in research until his death following a short illness. He died on 31 January 2004, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.