Julius Plücker

Julius Plücker (* June 16, 1801 in Elberfeld (now Wuppertal to ); † May 22, 1868 in Bonn ) was a German mathematician and physicist.

Life

Julius Plücker grew up in Elberfeld, the son of John Plücker and descendant of the Reformed Elberfelder industrialist family Plücker, which since 1589 by Duke Johann III. lent of Cleves -Jülich -Berg Garnnahrung belonged and presented numerous Elberfelder mayor and municipal judge. From 1784 to the end of the 19th century belonged to the family and their descendants Lüntenbeck castle at Elberfeld. After leaving school in Elberfeld and Dusseldorf, where he attended the renamed after the Second World War in Gorres -Gymnasium grammar school from the beginning in 1816 to graduation in 1819, Plücker studied in Bonn, Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris. In 1824 he completed a doctorate on " Generalem analyseos applicationem ad ea quae geometriae altionis et mechanicae based et fundamenta sunt, e serie Tayloria deducit " in Marburg in Christian Ludwig Gerling ( a student of Carl Friedrich Gauss ), was habilitated in 1825 in Bonn and worked as a lecturer. In 1828 he was an associate professor of Mathematics in Bonn. In 1832 he went to Berlin as a lecturer and taught at the same time at the local Friedrich-Wilhelms -Gymnasium. In 1833 he was appointed professor at the University of Halle. In 1835 he returned, now as a full professor, returned to the University of Bonn and taught there until his early death. The Bavarian Academy of Sciences elected him in 1859 to its foreign members.

His grave is located at the old cemetery in Bonn.

Work

Together with Heinrich Geissler Plücker set the stage for modern vacuum technology. His basic research have become important later for atomic research.

In mathematics, he invented the line geometry and worked on algebraic curves and their singularities. Named after him are the Plücker matrix for the unique representation of straight lines and the " Plucker formulas " that produce a simple relation between the numbers of special points of a curve.

In physics, he worked among others with the magnetism of the crystals as well as with electrical discharges in vacuum. In 1858 he discovered the cathode rays.

Since 1855 he was a member of a foreign member of the Royal Society, with its Copley Medal he was awarded in 1866.

The asteroid ( 29643 ) Plücker was named after him.