Louis Michel (physicist)
Encyclopedia
Louis Michel was a French mathematical physicist at IHES. He was born in Roanne
, near Loire
, on 4 May 1923 and died in Bures-sur-Yvette
on 30 December 1999.
. After the World War II
, he was in Manchester
, where he worked on weak interactions. Back in France, he was teaching in Lille and Orsay before creating the “Centre de Physique Theorique” of Ecole Polytechnique
. In 1962 he became a permanent professor at IHES (Institut de Hautes Etudes Scientifiques) in Bures sur Yvette, where he remained until his retirement, and as an Emeritus until his death.
Louis Michel was President of the “Societé Française de Physique” between 1978 and 1980, and a member of the Academie des Sciences since 1979. In 1984 he was awarded the Wigner Medal.
His scientific activities in the domain of Theoretical Physics
encompassed many fields, from elementary particles and High Energy Physics to Crystals, and provided pioneering insights in spontaneous symmetry breaking in many contexts. His name is associated to the Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equation describing spin
evolution in a magnetic field, the theory of phase transitions as a symmetry-breaking, the Michel-Radicati theory for the SU(3)
octet, and more generally his geometric theory of spontaneous symmetry breaking
, and to several results in crystallography
.
After his death, the IHES
created the Chaires Louis Michel chair for distinguished long-term visitors to honour his memory.
Roanne
Roanne is a commune in the Loire department in central France.It is located northwest of Lyon on the Loire River.-Economy:...
, near Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
, on 4 May 1923 and died in Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette
Bures-sur-Yvette is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Bures-sur-Yvette are known as Buressois.-Geography:...
on 30 December 1999.
Biography
Michel completed his studies at the Ecole Polytechnique in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, where he worked on weak interactions. Back in France, he was teaching in Lille and Orsay before creating the “Centre de Physique Theorique” of Ecole Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
. In 1962 he became a permanent professor at IHES (Institut de Hautes Etudes Scientifiques) in Bures sur Yvette, where he remained until his retirement, and as an Emeritus until his death.
Louis Michel was President of the “Societé Française de Physique” between 1978 and 1980, and a member of the Academie des Sciences since 1979. In 1984 he was awarded the Wigner Medal.
His scientific activities in the domain of 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...
encompassed many fields, from elementary particles and High Energy Physics to Crystals, and provided pioneering insights in spontaneous symmetry breaking in many contexts. His name is associated to the Bargmann-Michel-Telegdi equation describing spin
Spin (physics)
In quantum mechanics and particle physics, spin is a fundamental characteristic property of elementary particles, composite particles , and atomic nuclei.It is worth noting that the intrinsic property of subatomic particles called spin and discussed in this article, is related in some small ways,...
evolution in a magnetic field, the theory of phase transitions as a symmetry-breaking, the Michel-Radicati theory for the SU(3)
Special unitary group
The special unitary group of degree n, denoted SU, is the group of n×n unitary matrices with determinant 1. The group operation is that of matrix multiplication...
octet, and more generally his geometric theory of spontaneous symmetry breaking
Spontaneous symmetry breaking
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is the process by which a system described in a theoretically symmetrical way ends up in an apparently asymmetric state....
, and to several results in crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
.
After his death, the IHES
Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
The Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques is a French institute supporting advanced research in mathematics and theoretical physics...
created the Chaires Louis Michel chair for distinguished long-term visitors to honour his memory.