François Arago : a 19th century French humanist and pioneer in astrophysics

Responsibility
James Lequeux.
Uniform Title
François Arago, un savant généreux. English
Language
English. English.
Digital
text file
PDF
Publication
Cham : Springer, 2016.
Physical description
1 online resource
Series
Astrophysics and space science library ; 421.

Online

Available online

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Description

Creators/Contributors

Author/Creator
Lequeux, James, author.

Contents/Summary

Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
  • The Scientific Life in France at the Time of Arago
  • The Life of Arago
  • The Nature of Light
  • The Velocity of Light
  • The Birth of Electromagnetism
  • The Measurement of the Earth
  • Arago and the Paris Observatory
  • Arago, Astronomer
  • Arago, Geophysicist and Meteorologist
  • Towards Applied Physics
  • The Promoter of Science and Technique
  • The Heritage of Arago.
Summary
Franois Arago, the first to show in 1810 that the surface of the Sun and stars is made of incandescent gas and not solid or liquid, was a prominent physicist of the 19th century. He used his considerable influence to help Fresnel, Ampere and others develop their ideas and make themselves known. This book covers his personal contributions to physics, astronomy, geodesy and oceanography, which are far from negligible, but insufficiently known. Arago was also an important and influential political man who, for example, abolished slavery in the French colonies. One of the last humanists, he had a very broad culture and range of interests. In parallel to his biography, this title also covers the spectacular progresses of science at the time of Arago, especially in France: the birth of physical optics, electromagnetism and thermodynamics. Francois Aragos life is a fascinating epic tale that reads as a novel.

Bibliographic information

Publication date
2016
Series
Astrophysics and space science library ; 421
ISBN
9783319207230 (electronic bk.)
3319207237 (electronic bk.)
9783319207223
3319207229
DOI
10.1007/978-3-319-20723-0

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