Paul S. Wesson
Encyclopedia
Paul S. Wesson, B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.R.A.S, is a professor of astrophysics
and theoretical physics
. He was educated at the Universities of London
and Cambridge
in England
, and spent most of his career at the University of Waterloo
in Canada
. He has also spent sabbatical leaves at Berkeley
and Stanford
in California
, and more recently has been associated with the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics
in Victoria
, Canada. He has supervised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and has occupied several important administrative positions, including Science Director of the California Institute for Physics and Astronomy
. His scientific interests are broad, ranging from a seismic survey of Afghanistan
, to guest lectures and media interviews on the Big Bang
in America. He has published over 250 research papers and a dozen books. Most of his articles have appeared in the standard journals for astronomy
and theoretical physics, but he has also written pieces for New Scientist
and other magazines of popular science
. In recent years, his research has concentrated on two subjects:
(a) The intensity of background light
between galaxies
depends on their luminosity
and age, versus the redshift
effect and the expansion of the universe. It is possible to use observations and a mathematical model
to determine various astrophysical quantities, including the age of the universe
and the nature of dark matter
and dark energy
. This approach also resolves the notorious problem of why the night sky is so dark, or Olbers' paradox
.
(b) The theory of general relativity due to Einstein
can be extended from four to five dimensions, where the extra dimension measures mass
. This kind of 5D theory avoids problems of older versions, and has gained a considerable following as a means of accounting for matter
. (The webpage for the Space-Time-Matter group is at http://astro.uwaterloo.ca/~wesson.) A major discovery is that while the universe may have a big-bang singularity in 4D, it is smooth in 5D.
Besides the above-outlined subjects, Wesson also has interests in geophysics
, panspermia and the philosophy of science
. He writes and reads science fiction
.
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
and theoretical physics
Theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
. He was educated at the Universities of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and 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...
in 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...
, and spent most of his career at the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He has also spent sabbatical leaves at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and more recently has been associated with the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics
Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics
The NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics is the leading Canadian centre for astronomy and astrophysics.Named for the Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg, it was formed in 1975 as part of the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario...
in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada. He has supervised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and has occupied several important administrative positions, including Science Director of the California Institute for Physics and Astronomy
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...
. His scientific interests are broad, ranging from a seismic survey of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, to guest lectures and media interviews on the Big Bang
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
in America. He has published over 250 research papers and a dozen books. Most of his articles have appeared in the standard journals for astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and theoretical physics, but he has also written pieces for New Scientist
New Scientist
New Scientist is a weekly non-peer-reviewed English-language international science magazine, which since 1996 has also run a website, covering recent developments in science and technology for a general audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of...
and other magazines of popular science
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
. In recent years, his research has concentrated on two subjects:
(a) The intensity of background light
Background light
The background light is used to illuminate the background area of a set. The background light will also provide separation between the subject and the background. In the standard 4-point lighting setup, the background light is placed last and is usually placed directly behind the subject and...
between galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
depends on their luminosity
Luminosity
Luminosity is a measurement of brightness.-In photometry and color imaging:In photometry, luminosity is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to luminance, which is the density of luminous intensity in a given direction. The SI unit for luminance is candela per square metre.The luminosity function...
and age, versus the redshift
Redshift
In physics , redshift happens when light seen coming from an object is proportionally increased in wavelength, or shifted to the red end of the spectrum...
effect and the expansion of the universe. It is possible to use observations and a mathematical model
Mathematical model
A mathematical model is a description of a system using mathematical concepts and language. The process of developing a mathematical model is termed mathematical modeling. Mathematical models are used not only in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines A mathematical model is a...
to determine various astrophysical quantities, including the age of the universe
Age of the universe
The age of the universe is the time elapsed since the Big Bang posited by the most widely accepted scientific model of cosmology. The best current estimate of the age of the universe is 13.75 ± 0.13 billion years within the Lambda-CDM concordance model...
and the nature of dark matter
Dark matter
In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that neither emits nor scatters light or other electromagnetic radiation, and so cannot be directly detected via optical or radio astronomy...
and dark energy
Dark energy
In physical cosmology, astronomy and celestial mechanics, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Dark energy is the most accepted theory to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding...
. This approach also resolves the notorious problem of why the night sky is so dark, or Olbers' paradox
Olbers' paradox
In astrophysics and physical cosmology, Olbers' paradox is the argument that the darkness of the night sky conflicts with the assumption of an infinite and eternal static universe. It is one of the pieces of evidence for a non-static universe such as the current Big Bang model. The argument is also...
.
(b) The theory of general relativity due to Einstein
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...
can be extended from four to five dimensions, where the extra dimension measures 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:...
. This kind of 5D theory avoids problems of older versions, and has gained a considerable following as a means of accounting for matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
. (The webpage for the Space-Time-Matter group is at http://astro.uwaterloo.ca/~wesson.) A major discovery is that while the universe may have a big-bang singularity in 4D, it is smooth in 5D.
Besides the above-outlined subjects, Wesson also has interests in geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
, panspermia and the philosophy of science
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
. He writes and reads science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
Science Books
- Weaving the Universe (Is Modern Cosmology Discovered or Invented?), 2011, World Scientific, Singapore, 222 pp. [An account of the overlap between modern physics and philosophy, emphasizing the role of ideas.]
- The Light/Dark Universe (Light from Galaxies, Dark Matter and Dark Energy),(coauthor James Overduin), 2008, World Scientific, Singapore, 225 pp. [A research-level book which uses intergalactic radiation to constrain and identify dark components of the universe.] ISBN 978-981-283-441-6
- Five-Dimensional Physics, 2006, World Scientific, Singapore, 222 pp. [A research-level book on classical and quantum consequences of Kaluza-Klein cosmology.] ISBN 981-256-661-9
- Brave New Universe, (coauthor Paul Halpern), 2006, Joseph Henry Press, Washington, 264 pp. [A semi-popular book on problems in modern cosmology and how they may be solved.] ISBN 0309101379
- Dark Sky, Dark Matter,(coauthor James Overduin),2003, Institute of Physics, London, 216 pp. [A research-level book on the modern version of Olbers’ paradox and how background radiation is used to constrain decaying dark-matter particles.]ISBN 075030684X
- Space-Time-Matter, 1999, World Scientific, Singapore, 209 pp. [A research-level book on higher-dimensional gravity such as Kaluza-Klein theory and its implications for cosmology and astrophysics. The second edition is 2007, 254 pp.] ISBN 981-270-632-1
- Gravitation - A Banff Summer Institute, (coauthor Robert B. Mann), 1991. World Scientific, Singapore, 650 pp. [An edited conference proceedings with contributions by many of the top researchers in gravitation.] ISBN 981-02-0751-4
- Gravity, Particles, and Astrophysics, 1980, Reidel, Dordrecht, 188 pp. [A research-level book on alternative theories of gravity and their implications for particle physics and astrophysics.] ISBN 90-277-1083-X
- Cosmology and Geophysics, 1978, Oxford University Press/Hilger, New York, 240 pp. [A research-level book on alternative theories of gravity and their implications for the Earth and the solar system.] ISBN 0852743157