Howard Percy Robertson
Encyclopedia
Howard Percy Robertson was an American
mathematician
and physicist
known for contributions related to physical cosmology
and the uncertainty principle
. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
.
, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1922 and a master’s in mathematics and physics in 1923 from the University of Washington
in Seattle. He completed his PhD at Caltech in mathematics and physics in 1925 under Harry Bateman
, with the dissertation, “On Dynamical Space-Times Which Contain a Conformal Euclidean 3-Space”.
Upon receipt of his doctorate, Robertson received a National Research Council Fellowship to study at the Georg-August University of Göttingen
, the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
, and Princeton University
. At Munich, he was a postdoctoral student of Arnold Sommerfeld
.
One of Robertson's first landmark papers, a brief note in The Annals of Mathematics, series II, Vol 39, pp. 101–104 (1938) entitled "Note on the preceding paper: The two body problem in general relativity" solved that problem within a degree of approximation not improved on for several decades. Earlier work, such as the Schwarzschild metric
, were for a central body that did not move, while Robertson's solution considered two bodies orbiting each other. Nevertheless, his solution failed to include gravitational radiation, so the bodies orbit forever, rather than approaching each other.
Aside from his work in physics, Robertson played a central role in American scientific intelligence during and after World War II. During the war years, Robertson was Chief American Liaison with British Scientific Intelligence, when he became close friends with Dr. Reginald Victor Jones
. Following the war, Robertson was a CIA
classified employee and director of the Weapons System Evaluation Group in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mathematician
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....
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
known for contributions related to physical cosmology
Physical cosmology
Physical cosmology, as a branch of astronomy, is the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. For most of human history, it was a branch of metaphysics and religion...
and the uncertainty principle
Uncertainty principle
In quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states a fundamental limit on the accuracy with which certain pairs of physical properties of a particle, such as position and momentum, can be simultaneously known...
. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
.
Biography
Robertson was born in Hoquiam, WashingtonHoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington state, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity...
, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1922 and a master’s in mathematics and physics in 1923 from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle. He completed his PhD at Caltech in mathematics and physics in 1925 under Harry Bateman
Harry Bateman
Harry Bateman FRS was an English mathematician.-Life and work:Harry Bateman first grew to love mathematics at Manchester Grammar School, and in his final year, won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. There he distinguished himself in 1903 as Senior Wrangler and by winning the Smith's Prize...
, with the dissertation, “On Dynamical Space-Times Which Contain a Conformal Euclidean 3-Space”.
Upon receipt of his doctorate, Robertson received a National Research Council Fellowship to study at the Georg-August University of Göttingen
Georg-August University of Göttingen
The University of Göttingen , known informally as Georgia Augusta, is a university in the city of Göttingen, Germany.Founded in 1734 by King George II of Great Britain and the Elector of Hanover, it opened for classes in 1737. The University of Göttingen soon grew in size and popularity...
, the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich
The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich , commonly known as the University of Munich or LMU, is a university in Munich, Germany...
, and 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....
. At Munich, he was a postdoctoral student of Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Johannes Wilhelm Sommerfeld was a German theoretical physicist who pioneered developments in atomic and quantum physics, and also educated and groomed a large number of students for the new era of theoretical physics...
.
One of Robertson's first landmark papers, a brief note in The Annals of Mathematics, series II, Vol 39, pp. 101–104 (1938) entitled "Note on the preceding paper: The two body problem in general relativity" solved that problem within a degree of approximation not improved on for several decades. Earlier work, such as the Schwarzschild metric
Schwarzschild metric
In Einstein's theory of general relativity, the Schwarzschild solution describes the gravitational field outside a spherical, uncharged, non-rotating mass such as a star, planet, or black hole. It is also a good approximation to the gravitational field of a slowly rotating body like the Earth or...
, were for a central body that did not move, while Robertson's solution considered two bodies orbiting each other. Nevertheless, his solution failed to include gravitational radiation, so the bodies orbit forever, rather than approaching each other.
Aside from his work in physics, Robertson played a central role in American scientific intelligence during and after World War II. During the war years, Robertson was Chief American Liaison with British Scientific Intelligence, when he became close friends with Dr. Reginald Victor Jones
Reginald Victor Jones
Reginald Victor Jones, CH CB CBE FRS, was a British physicist and scientific military intelligence expert who played an important role in the defence of Britain in -Education:...
. Following the war, Robertson was a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
classified employee and director of the Weapons System Evaluation Group in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Notions named for Howard Percy Robertson
- Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker metric
- Poynting-Robertson effectPoynting-Robertson effectThe Poynting–Robertson effect, also known as Poynting–Robertson drag, named after John Henry Poynting and Howard Percy Robertson, is a process by which solar radiation causes a dust grain in the Solar System to slowly spiral into the sun...
- Robertson-Schrödinger relationUncertainty principleIn quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle states a fundamental limit on the accuracy with which certain pairs of physical properties of a particle, such as position and momentum, can be simultaneously known...
Sources
- Howard Percy Robertson biographical sketch
- Terry Hansen, The Missing Times: News media complicity in the UFO cover-up, 2000, ISBN 0-7388-3612-5
External links
- Robertson – The Papers of H. P. Robertson (Link broken - July 8, 2010)