Scott Tremaine
Encyclopedia
Scott Duncan Tremaine is a Canadian
-born astrophysicist
. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Canada
and the National Academy of Sciences
. Tremaine is widely regarded as one of the world's leading astrophysicists for his contributions to the theory of solar system
and galactic
dynamics
. Tremaine is the namesake
of asteroid 3806 Tremaine
. He is credited with coining the name "Kuiper belt
"
in 1971, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University
in 1975. He further received an honorary Ph.D. from McMaster University in 1996. He was an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
from 1981 to 1985. He became the first director of the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
at the University of Toronto
in 1986, a position he held until 1996. He gained the rare distinction of "University Professor" at the University of Toronto in 1995. In 1997, he left CITA and took up a position as a professor at Princeton University, becoming chair of the Astrophysical Sciences department from 1998 to 2006.
Scott Tremaine is currently a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study
, for which he left Princeton University in 2007, being replaced as department chair by David Spergel
He has been married to Prof. Marilyn Mantei Tremaine for more than a decade, an expert in human-computer interaction who is the past chair of the SIGCHI
section of the Association of Computing Machinery.
Tremaine, along with Peter Goldreich
, correctly predicted that shepherd moons created Saturn
's thin F ring, as well as the thin rings of Uranus
in 1979. The Saturnian moons Prometheus
and Pandora
were first observed in 1981 and shepherding moons were found around Uranus' rings in 1986. Tremaine cowrote the book Galactic Dynamics with James Binney
, which is often regarded as the standard reference in the field and has been cited
more than three thousand times in scholarly publications. Tremaine, along with collaborators at the University of Toronto, showed that short period comet
s originate in the Kuiper belt
. Tremaine is credited with suggesting that the apparent "double nucleus" of the Andromeda Galaxy
was in fact a single ring of old red stars.
for "diverse and insightful applications of dynamics to planets, rings, comets, galaxies and the universe."
Tremaine won the C.S. Beals Award from the Canadian Astronomical Society
which is awarded for outstanding research to a Canadian astronomer or an astronomer working in Canada.
Tremaine won the 1983 Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
given by the American Astronomical Society
in recognition of "his many outstanding contributions to a wide range of dynamical problems in both solar-system and galactic dynamics".
Tremaine won the 1998 Dirk Brouwer Award
which is awarded by the Division of Dynamical Astronomy of the American Astronomical Society "in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to a wide range of dynamical problems in both solar-system and galactic dynamics."
Tremaine was awarded the 1990 Rutherford Memorial Medal
in Physics by the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada for "his outstanding contributions to the field to [sic] astrophysics, particularly his spectacular success in predicting the properties of planetary ring dynamics and the extraplanetary objects that control them".
Tremaine received an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto, June 11, 2010 "in recognition of his scholarly contributions to the field of astrophysics, and his administrative leadership in support of Canadian and international science".
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...
-born astrophysicist
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...
. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
and 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...
. Tremaine is widely regarded as one of the world's leading astrophysicists for his contributions to the theory of solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
and galactic
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...
dynamics
Relativistic dynamics
Relativistic dynamics refers to a combination of relativistic and quantum concepts to describe the relationships between the motion and properties of a relativistic system and the forces acting on the system...
. Tremaine is the namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of asteroid 3806 Tremaine
3806 Tremaine
3806 Tremaine is a small asteroid of the Alinda family. It was first sighted on 14 October 1975 and given the provisional designation 1975 TY5. Two more sightings occurred before the March 1, 1981 sighting by Schelte J...
. He is credited with coining the name "Kuiper belt
Kuiper belt
The Kuiper belt , sometimes called the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt, is a region of the Solar System beyond the planets extending from the orbit of Neptune to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger—20 times as wide and 20 to 200 times as massive...
"
Career
He obtained a bachelor's degree at McMaster UniversityMcMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in 1971, and a Ph.D. from 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....
in 1975. He further received an honorary Ph.D. from McMaster University in 1996. He was an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
from 1981 to 1985. He became the first director of the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics is a national research institute funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, located at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1986, a position he held until 1996. He gained the rare distinction of "University Professor" at the University of Toronto in 1995. In 1997, he left CITA and took up a position as a professor at Princeton University, becoming chair of the Astrophysical Sciences department from 1998 to 2006.
Scott Tremaine is currently a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
, for which he left Princeton University in 2007, being replaced as department chair by David Spergel
David Spergel
David Nathaniel Spergel , is an American theoretical astrophysicist and Princeton University professor known for his work on the WMAP mission. Professor Spergel is a MacArthur Fellow. He has served as the chair of the Astrophysics Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council and was once the W.M...
He has been married to Prof. Marilyn Mantei Tremaine for more than a decade, an expert in human-computer interaction who is the past chair of the SIGCHI
SIGCHI
SIGCHI is the Special Interest Group on Computer–Human Interaction, one of the Association for Computing Machinery's special interest groups....
section of the Association of Computing Machinery.
Scientific accomplishments
Peter Goldreich
Peter Goldreich is an American astrophysicist whose research focuses on celestial mechanics, planetary rings, helioseismology and neutron stars. He is currently the Lee DuBridge Professor of Astrophysics and Planetary Physics at California Institute of Technology. Since 2005 he has also been a...
, correctly predicted that shepherd moons created Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
's thin F ring, as well as the thin rings of Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
in 1979. The Saturnian moons Prometheus
Prometheus (moon)
-Animations:-External links:* at ** anaglyph view of Prometheus...
and Pandora
Pandora (moon)
Pandora is an inner satellite of Saturn. It was discovered in 1980 from photos taken by the Voyager 1 probe, and was provisionally designated '. In late 1985 it was officially named after Pandora from Greek mythology. It is also designated as '.Pandora is the outer shepherd satellite of the F Ring...
were first observed in 1981 and shepherding moons were found around Uranus' rings in 1986. Tremaine cowrote the book Galactic Dynamics with James Binney
James Binney
James Jeffrey Binney, FRS, FInstP is a British astrophysicist. He is currently a Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford, where he is head of the Sub-Department of Theoretical Physics as well as a Professorial Fellow at Merton College...
, which is often regarded as the standard reference in the field and has been cited
Scientific citation
Scientific citation is providing detailed reference in a scientific publication, typically a paper or book, to previous published communications which have a bearing on the subject of the new publication...
more than three thousand times in scholarly publications. Tremaine, along with collaborators at the University of Toronto, showed that short period comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s originate in the Kuiper belt
Kuiper belt
The Kuiper belt , sometimes called the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt, is a region of the Solar System beyond the planets extending from the orbit of Neptune to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger—20 times as wide and 20 to 200 times as massive...
. Tremaine is credited with suggesting that the apparent "double nucleus" of the Andromeda Galaxy
Andromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda. It is also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, and is often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. Andromeda is the nearest spiral galaxy to the...
was in fact a single ring of old red stars.
Awards and honours
Tremaine was awarded the 1997 Dannie Heineman Prize for AstrophysicsDannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics
The Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics is jointly awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society and American Institute of Physics for outstanding work in astrophysics. It is funded by the Heineman Foundation in honour of Dannie Heineman....
for "diverse and insightful applications of dynamics to planets, rings, comets, galaxies and the universe."
Tremaine won the C.S. Beals Award from the Canadian Astronomical Society
Canadian Astronomical Society
The Canadian Astronomical Society is a Canadian society of professional astronomers, founded in 1971 and incorporated in 1983. The society is devoted to the promotion and advancement of knowledge of the universe through research and education, and its membership is open to people with a...
which is awarded for outstanding research to a Canadian astronomer or an astronomer working in Canada.
Tremaine won the 1983 Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
The Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a young astronomer for a significant contribution to observational or theoretical astronomy....
given by the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
in recognition of "his many outstanding contributions to a wide range of dynamical problems in both solar-system and galactic dynamics".
Tremaine won the 1998 Dirk Brouwer Award
Brouwer Award (Division on Dynamical Astronomy)
The Dirk Brouwer Award, usually known as the Brouwer Award, is awarded annually by the Division on Dynamical Astronomy of the American Astronomical Society for outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of dynamical astronomy...
which is awarded by the Division of Dynamical Astronomy of the American Astronomical Society "in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to a wide range of dynamical problems in both solar-system and galactic dynamics."
Tremaine was awarded the 1990 Rutherford Memorial Medal
Rutherford Memorial Medal
The Rutherford Memorial Medal is an award for research in the fields of physics and chemistry by the Royal Society of Canada. It was dedicated to the memorial of Ernest Rutherford.-Physics:* 2010 : Kari Dalnoki-Veress* 2009 : Barth Nettlefield...
in Physics by the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada for "his outstanding contributions to the field to [sic] astrophysics, particularly his spectacular success in predicting the properties of planetary ring dynamics and the extraplanetary objects that control them".
Tremaine received an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto, June 11, 2010 "in recognition of his scholarly contributions to the field of astrophysics, and his administrative leadership in support of Canadian and international science".
External links
- http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-abs_connect?db_key=AST&db_key=PRE&qform=AST&sim_query=YES&ned_query=YES&aut_xct=NO&aut_req=YES&aut_logic=OR&obj_logic=OR&author=Tremaine%2C+S&object=&start_mon=&start_year=&end_mon=&end_year=&ttl_logic=OR&title=&txt_logic=OR&text=&nr_to_return=1000&start_nr=1&jou_pick=ALL&ref_stems=&data_and=ALL&group_and=ALL&start_entry_day=&start_entry_mon=&start_entry_year=&end_entry_day=&end_entry_mon=&end_entry_year=&min_score=&sort=CITATIONS&data_type=SHORT&aut_syn=YES&ttl_syn=YES&txt_syn=YES&aut_wt=1.0&obj_wt=1.0&ttl_wt=0.3&txt_wt=3.0&aut_wgt=YES&obj_wgt=YES&ttl_wgt=YES&txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1Scholarly Works by Scott Tremaine from the Astrophysical Data System]
- Scott Tremaine's Homepage at the Institute for Advanced Study