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Mathematical physics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mathematical physics refers to application of mathematics to physics.

Contents
1 Scope of the subject
2 Prominent mathematical physicists
3 Mathematically rigorous physics
4 See also
5 Notes
6 References
7 Further reading
7.1 The Classics
7.2 Textbooks for undergraduate studies
7.3 Textbooks for graduate studies
7.4 Other specialised subareas

Scope of the subject


The Journal of Mathematical Physics defines this area as: "the application of
mathematics to problems in physics and the development of mathematical
methods suitable for such applications and for the formulation of physical
[1]
theories." . There are several distinct branches of mathematical physics, and
these roughly correspond to particular historical periods. The theory of partial
differential equations (and the related areas of variational calculus, Fourier
analysis, potential theory, and vector analysis) are perhaps most closely
associated with mathematical physics. These were developed intensively from the
second half of the eighteenth century (by, for example, D'Alembert, Euler, and
Lagrange) until the 1930s. Physical applications of these developments include
hydrodynamics, celestial mechanics, elasticity theory, acoustics,
thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, and aerodynamics.

The theory of atomic spectra (and, later, quantum mechanics) developed almost
concurrently with the mathematical fields of linear algebra, the spectral theory
of operators, and more broadly, functional analysis. These constitute the
mathematical basis of another branch of mathematical physics.

The special and general theories of relativity require a rather different type of
mathematics. This was group theory: and it played an important role in both

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quantum field theory and differential geometry. This was, however, gradually
supplemented by topology in the mathematical description of cosmological as
well as quantum field theory phenomena.

Statistical mechanics forms a separate field, which is closely related with the
more mathematical ergodic theory and some parts of probability theory.

There are increasing interactions between combinatorics and physics, in


particular statistical physics.

The usage of the term 'Mathematical physics' is sometimes idiosyncratic. Certain


parts of mathematics that initially arose from the development of physics are not
considered parts of mathematical physics, while other closely related fields are.
For example, ordinary differential equations and symplectic geometry are
generally viewed as purely mathematical disciplines, whereas dynamical systems
and Hamiltonian mechanics belong to mathematical physics.

Prominent mathematical physicists


The great seventeenth century English physicist and mathematician, Isaac
Newton [1642–1727], developed a wealth of new mathematics (for example,
calculus and several numerical methods (most notably Newton's method) to solve
problems in physics. Other important mathematical physicists of the seventeenth
century included the Dutchman Christiaan Huygens [1629–1695] (famous for
suggesting the wave theory of light), and the German Johannes Kepler
[1571–1630] (Tycho Brahe's assistant, and discoverer of the equations for
planetary motion/orbit).

In the eighteenth century, two of the great innovators of mathematical physics


were Swiss: Daniel Bernoulli [1700–1782] (for contributions to fluid dynamics,
and vibrating strings), and, more especially, Leonhard Euler [1707–1783], (for
his work in variational calculus, dynamics, fluid dynamics, and many other
things). Another notable contributor was the Italian-born Frenchman,
Joseph-Louis Lagrange [1736–1813] (for his work in mechanics and variational
methods).

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, important French figures
were Pierre-Simon Laplace [1749–1827] (in mathematical astronomy, potential
theory, and mechanics) and Siméon Denis Poisson [1781–1840] (who also
worked in mechanics and potential theory). In Germany, both Carl Friedrich
Gauss [1777–1855] (in magnetism) and Carl Gustav Jacobi [1804–1851] (in the
areas of dynamics and canonical transformations) made key contributions to the
theoretical foundations of electricity, magnetism, mechanics, and fluid dynamics.

Gauss (along with Euler) is considered by many to be one of the greatest


mathematicians of all time. His contributions to non-Euclidean geometry laid the

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groundwork for the subsequent development of Riemannian geometry by


Bernhard Riemann [1826–1866]. As we shall see later, this work is at the heart
of general relativity.

The nineteenth century also saw the Scot, James Clerk Maxwell [1831–1879],
win renown for his four equations of electromagnetism, and his countryman,
Lord Kelvin [1824–1907] make substantial discoveries in thermodynamics.
Among the English physics community, Lord Rayleigh [1842–1919] worked on
sound; and George Gabriel Stokes [1819–1903] was a leader in optics and fluid
dynamics; while the Irishman William Rowan Hamilton [1805–1865] was noted
for his work in dynamics. The German Hermann von Helmholtz [1821–1894] is
best remembered for his work in the areas of electromagnetism, waves, fluids,
and sound. In the U.S.A., the pioneering work of Josiah Willard Gibbs
[1839–1903] became the basis for statistical mechanics. Together, these men
laid the foundations of electromagnetic theory, fluid dynamics and statistical
mechanics.

The late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries saw the birth of special
relativity. This had been anticipated in the works of the Dutchman, Hendrik
Lorentz [1853–1928], with important insights from Jules-Henri Poincaré
[1854–1912], but which were brought to full clarity by Albert Einstein
[1879–1955]. Einstein then developed the invariant approach further to arrive
at the remarkable geometrical approach to gravitational physics embodied in
general relativity. This was based on the non-Euclidean geometry created by
Gauss and Riemann in the previous century.

Einstein's special relativity replaced the Galilean transformations of space and


time with Lorentz transformations in four dimensional Minkowski space-time. His
general theory of relativity replaced the flat Euclidean geometry with that of a
Riemannian manifold, whose curvature is determined by the distribution of
gravitational matter. This replaced Newton's vector gravitational force by the
Riemann curvature tensor.

The other great revolutionary development of the twentieth century has been
quantum theory, which emerged from the seminal contributions of Max Planck
[1856–1947] (on black body radiation) and Einstein's work on the photoelectric
effect. This was, at first, followed by a heuristic framework devised by Arnold
Sommerfeld [1868–1951] and Niels Bohr [1885–1962], but this was soon
replaced by the quantum mechanics developed by Max Born [1882–1970],
Werner Heisenberg [1901–1976], Paul Dirac [1902–1984], Erwin Schrödinger
[1887–1961], and Wolfgang Pauli [1900–1958]. This revolutionary theoretical
framework is based on a probabilistic interpretation of states, and evolution and
measurements in terms of self-adjoint operators on an infinite dimensional vector
space (Hilbert space, introduced by David Hilbert [1862–1943]). Paul Dirac, for
example, used algebraic constructions to produce a relativistic model for the
electron, predicting its magnetic moment and the existence of its antiparticle,

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the positron.

Later important contributors to twentieth century mathematical physics include


Satyendra Nath Bose [1894–1974], Julian Schwinger [1918–1994], Sin-Itiro
Tomonaga [1906–1979], Richard Feynman [1918–1988], Freeman Dyson [1923–
], Hideki Yukawa [1907–1981], Roger Penrose [1931– ], Stephen Hawking [1942–
], Edward Witten [1951– ] and Rudolf Haag [1922– ]

Mathematically rigorous physics


The term 'mathematical' physics is also sometimes used in a special sense, to
denote research aimed at studying and solving problems inspired by physics
within a mathematically rigorous framework. Mathematical physics in this sense
covers a very broad area of topics with the common feature that they blend pure
mathematics and physics. Although related to theoretical physics, 'mathematical'
physics in this sense emphasizes the mathematical rigour of the same type as
found in mathematics. On the other hand, theoretical physics emphasizes the
links to observations and experimental physics which often requires theoretical
physicists (and mathematical physicists in the more general sense) to use
heuristic, intuitive, and approximate arguments. Such arguments are not
considered rigorous by mathematicians. Arguably, rigorous mathematical
physics is closer to mathematics, and theoretical physics is closer to physics.

Such mathematical physicists primarily expand and elucidate physical theories.


Because of the required rigor, these researchers often deal with questions that
theoretical physicists have considered to already be solved. However, they can
sometimes show (but neither commonly nor easily) that the previous solution was
incorrect.

The field has concentrated in three main areas: (1) quantum field theory,
especially the precise construction of models; (2) statistical mechanics,
especially the theory of phase transitions; and (3) nonrelativistic quantum
mechanics (Schrödinger operators), including the connections to atomic and
molecular physics.

The effort to put physical theories on a mathematically rigorous footing has


inspired many mathematical developments. For example, the development of
quantum mechanics and some aspects of functional analysis parallel each other
in many ways. The mathematical study of quantum statistical mechanics has
motivated results in operator algebras. The attempt to construct a rigorous
quantum field theory has brought about progress in fields such as representation
theory. Use of geometry and topology plays an important role in string theory.

See also

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Important publications in Mathematical Physics


International Association of Mathematical Physics
Theoretical physics

Notes
1. ^ Definition from the Journal of Mathematical Physics. http://jmp.aip.org/jmp/staff.jsp

References
Rashed, Roshdi; Morelon, Régis (1996), Encyclopedia of the History of
Arabic Science, 1 & 3, Routledge, ISBN 0415124107
Zalsow, Eric (2005), Physmatics (http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506153) ,
The Journal of Business, http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506153

Further reading
The Classics

Abraham, Ralph; Marsden, Jerrold E. (2008), 'Foundations of


mechanics: a mathematical exposition of classical mechanics with an
introduction to the qualitative theory of dynamical systems' (2nd ed.),
Providence, [RI.]: AMS Chelsea Pub., ISBN 9780821844380
Arnold, Vladimir I.; Vogtmann, K.; Weinstein, A. (tr.) (1997),
'Mathematical methods of classical mechanics / [Matematicheskie
metody klassicheskoĭ mekhaniki]' (2nd ed.), New York, [NY.]: Springer-
Verlag, ISBN 0-387-96890-3
Courant, Richard; Hilbert, David (1989), 'Methods of mathematical
physics / [Methoden der mathematischen Physik]', New York, [NY.]:
Interscience Publishers
Glimm, James; Jaffe, Arthur (1987), 'Quantum physics: a functional
integral point of view' (2nd ed.), New York, [NY.]: Springer-Verlag,
ISBN 0-387-96477-0 (pbk.)
Haag, Rudolf (1996), 'Local quantum physics: fields, particles,
algebras' (2nd rev. & enl. ed.), Berlin, [Germany] ; New York, [NY.]:
Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-61049-9 (softcover)
Hawking, Stephen W.; Ellis, George F. R. (1973), 'The large scale
structure of space-time', Cambridge, [England]: Cambridge University
Press, ISBN 0-521-20016-4
Kato, Tosio (1995), 'Perturbation theory for linear operators' (2nd repr.
ed.), Berlin, [Germany]: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-58661-X (This is
a reprint of the second (1980) edition of this title.)

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Margenau, Henry; Murphy, George Moseley (1976), 'The mathematics


of physics and chemistry' (2nd repr. ed.), Huntington, [NY.]: R. E.
Krieger Pub. Co., ISBN 0-882-75423-8 (This is a reprint of the 1956
second edition.)
Morse, Philip McCord; Feshbach, Herman (1999), 'Methods of
theoretical physics' (repr. ed.), Boston, [Mass.]: McGraw Hill,
ISBN 0-070-43316-X (This is a reprint of the original (1953) edition of
this title.)
von Neumann, John; Beyer, Robert T. (tr.) (1955), 'Mathematical
foundations of quantum mechanics', Princeton, [NJ.]: Princeton
University Press
Reed, Michael C.; Simon, Barry (1972–1977), 'Methods of modern
mathematical physics (4 vol.)', New York. {NY.]: Academic Press,
ISBN 0-125-85001-8
Titchmarsh, Edward Charles (1939), 'The theory of functions' (2nd
ed.), London, [England]: Oxford University Press (This tome was
reprinted in 1985.)
Thirring, Walter E.; Harrell, Evans M. (tr.) (1978–1983), 'A course in
mathematical physics / [Lehrbuch der mathematischen Physik] (4 vol.)',
New York, [NY.]: Springer-Verlag
Weyl, Hermann; Robertson, H. P. (tr.) (1931), 'The theory of groups
and quantum mechanics / [Gruppentheorie und Quantenmechanik]',
London, [England]: Methuen & Co.
Whittaker, Edmund Taylor; Watson, George Neville (1927), 'A course of
modern analysis: an introduction to the general theory of infinite
processes and of analytic functions, with an account of the principal
transcendental functions' (1st AMS ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, ISBN 9780521588072

Textbooks for undergraduate studies

Arfken, George B.; Weber, Hans J. (1995), 'Mathematical methods for


physicists' (4th ed.), San Diego, [CA.]: Academic Press,
ISBN 0-120-59816-7 (pbk.)
Boas, Mary L. (2006), 'Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences'
(3rd ed.), Hoboken, [NJ.]: John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 9780471198260
Butkov, Eugene (1968), 'Mathematical physics', Reading, [Mass.]:
Addison-Wesley
Jeffreys, Harold; Swirles Jeffreys, Bertha (1956), 'Methods of
mathematical physics' (3rd rev. ed.), Cambridge, [England]:
Cambridge University Press
Kusse, Bruce R. (2006), 'Mathematical Physics: Applied Mathematics
for Scientists and Engineers' (2nd ed.), [Germany]: Wiley-VCH,
ISBN 3-527-40672-7

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Joos, Georg; Freeman, Ira M. (1987), Theoretical Physics, Dover


Publications, ISBN 0-486-65227-0
Mathews, Jon; Walker, Robert L. (1970), 'Mathematical methods of
physics' (2nd ed.), New York, [NY.]: W. A. Benjamin,
ISBN 0-8053-7002-1
Menzel, Donald Howard (1961), Mathematical Physics, Dover
Publications, ISBN 0-486-60056-4
Stakgold, Ivar (c.2000), 'Boundary value problems of mathematical
physics (2 vol.)', Philadelphia, [PA.]: Society for Industrial and Applied
Mathematics, ISBN 0-898-71456-7 (set : pbk.)

Textbooks for graduate studies

Hassani, Sadri (1999), 'Mathematical Physics: A Modern Introduction


to Its Foundations', Berlin, [Germany]: Springer-Verlag,
ISBN 0387985794

Reed,Michael; Simon,Barry Methods of Modern Mathematical Physics


(Academic Press).[Four volumes]

Other specialised subareas

Aslam, Jamil; Hussain, Faheem (2007), 'Mathematical physics'


Proceedings of the 12th Regional Conference
(http://www.worldscibooks.com/physics/6405.html) , Islamabad,
Pakistan, 27 March – 1 April 2006], Singapore: World Scientific,
ISBN 978-981-270-591-4, http://www.worldscibooks.com/physics
/6405.html
Baez, John C.; Muniain, Javier P. (1994), 'Gauge fields, knots, and
gravity', Singapore ; River Edge, [NJ.]: World Scientific,
ISBN 9-810-22034-0 (pbk.)
Geroch, Robert (1985), 'Mathematical physics', Chicago, [IL.]:
University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-28862-5 (pbk.)
Polyanin, Andrei D. (2002), 'Handbook of linear partial differential
equations for engineers and scientists', Boca Raton, [FL.]: Chapman &
Hall / CRC Press, ISBN 1-584-88299-9
Polyanin, Alexei D.; Zaitsev, Valentin F. (2004), 'Handbook of nonlinear
partial differential equations', Boca Raton, [FL.]: Chapman & Hall /
CRC Press, ISBN 1-584-88355-3
Szekeres, Peter (2004), 'A course in modern mathematical physics:
groups, Hilbert space and differential geometry', Cambridge,
[England]; New York, [NY.]: Cambridge University Press,
ISBN 0-521-53645-6 (pbk.)
Yndurain, Francisco J (2006), 'Theoretical and Mathematical Physics.

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The Theory of Quark and Gluon Interactions', Springer,


ISBN 978-3-540-33209-I (pbk.)

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