Jim Peebles Explained

Jim Peebles
Birth Name:Phillip James Edwin Peebles
Birth Date:25 April 1935
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Children:3
Nationality:Canadian, American
Known For:Cosmic microwave background radiation
Cosmic infrared background
Cold dark matter
Lyman-alpha emitter
Primordial isocurvature baryon model
Quintessence
Recombination
Ostriker–Peebles criterion
Awards:Eddington Medal (1981)
Heineman Prize (1982)
Bruce Medal (1995)
Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1998)
Gruber Prize (2000)
Harvey Prize (2001)
Shaw Prize (2004)
Crafoord Prize (2005)
Dirac Medal (2013)
Order of Manitoba (2017)
Nobel Prize in Physics (2019)
Fields:Theoretical physics
Physical cosmology
Workplaces:Princeton University
Institute for Advanced Study
Thesis Title:Observational tests and theoretical problems relating to the conjecture that the strength of the electromagnetic interaction may be variable
Thesis Url:https://search.proquest.com/docview/302111786/
Thesis Year:1962
Doctoral Advisor:Robert Dicke

Phillip James Edwin Peebles (born April 25, 1935) is a Canadian-American astrophysicist, astronomer, and theoretical cosmologist who was Albert Einstein Professor in Science, emeritus, at Princeton University.[1] [2] He is widely regarded as one of the world's leading theoretical cosmologists in the period since 1970, with major theoretical contributions to primordial nucleosynthesis, dark matter, the cosmic microwave background, and structure formation.

Peebles was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019 for his theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology.[3] He shared the prize with Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for their discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star.[4] [5] [6] While much of his work relates to the development of the universe from its first few seconds, he is more skeptical about what we can know about the very beginning, and stated, "It's very unfortunate that one thinks of the beginning whereas in fact, we have no good theory of such a thing as the beginning."[7]

Peebles has described himself as a convinced agnostic.[8]

Early life

Peebles was born on April 25, 1935, in St. Vital in present-day Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the son of Ada Marion (Green), a homemaker, and Andrew Charles Peebles, who worked for the Winnipeg Grain Exchange.[9] He completed his bachelor of science at the University of Manitoba. He then went on to pursue graduate studies at Princeton University, where he received his PhD in physics in 1962, completing a doctoral dissertation titled "Observational Tests and Theoretical Problems Relating to the Conjecture That the Strength of the Electromagnetic Interaction May Be Variable" under the supervision of Robert Dicke.[10] He remained at Princeton for his whole career. Peebles was a Member in the School of Natural Sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study during the academic year 1977–78; he made subsequent visits during 1990–91 and 1998–99.[11]

Academic career

Most of Peebles' work since 1964 has been in the field of physical cosmology to determine the origins of the universe. In 1964, there was very little interest in this field and it was considered a "dead end" but Peebles remained committed to studying it.[12] Peebles has made many important contributions to the Big Bang model. With Dicke and others (nearly two decades after George Gamow, Ralph A. Alpher and Robert C. Herman), Peebles predicted the cosmic microwave background radiation. Along with making major contributions to Big Bang nucleosynthesis, dark matter, and dark energy, he was the leading pioneer in the theory of cosmic structure formation in the 1970s. Long before it was considered a serious, quantitative branch of physics, Peebles was studying physical cosmology and has done much to establish its respectability.[13] Peebles said, "It was not a single step, some critical discovery that suddenly made cosmology relevant but the field gradually emerged through a number of experimental observations. Clearly one of the most important during my career was the detection of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation that immediately attracted attention [...] both experimentalists interested in measuring the properties of this radiation and theorists, who joined in analyzing the implications".[14] His Shaw Prize citation states "He laid the foundations for almost all modern investigations in cosmology, both theoretical and observational, transforming a highly speculative field into a precision science."[15]

Peebles has a long record of innovating the basic ideas, which would be extensively studied later by other scientists. For instance, in 1987, he proposed the primordial isocurvature baryon model for the development of the early universe.[16] Similarly, Peebles contributed to establishing the dark matter problem in the early 1970s.[17] [18] Peebles is also known for the Ostriker–Peebles criterion, relating to the stability of galactic formation.[19]

Peebles' body of work was recognized with him being named a 2019 Nobel Laureate in Physics, "for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology"; Peebles shared half the prize with Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz who had been the first to discover an exoplanet around a main sequence star.[20]

Peebles was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1977 and a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1988.[21] [22]

Honors

Awards
Named after him

Publications

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Princeton University Physics Department . https://web.archive.org/web/20110511222857/http://www.princeton.edu/physics/about-us/history/memorable-members/john-wheeler/ . May 11, 2011 .
  2. Web site: Princeton University News . https://web.archive.org/web/20160413193815/https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/A94/84/71G20/index.xml . April 13, 2016 .
  3. News: Hooper . Dan . A Well-Deserved Physics Nobel - Jim Peebles' award honors modern cosmological theory at last . October 12, 2019 . . October 13, 2019 .
  4. Web site: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2019. Nobel Media AB. October 8, 2019.
  5. News: Chang . Kenneth . Specia . Megan . Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded for Cosmic Discoveries - The cosmologist James Peebles split the prize with the astrophysicists Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, for work the Nobel judges said "transformed our ideas about the cosmos." . October 8, 2019 . . October 8, 2019 .
  6. News: Kaplan . Sarah . Nobel Prize in physics awarded for research on exoplanets and the structure of the universe . 13 October 2019 . Washington Post . 8 October 2019.
  7. News: Couronne . Ivan . Top cosmologist's lonely battle against 'Big Bang' theory . November 14, 2019 . . November 14, 2019 .
  8. Web site: Jim Peebles - Session II. 2015-04-01. www.aip.org. en. 2019-10-29.
  9. Book: Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present . 4 (N–S) . Brigham . Narins . Gale Group . 2001 . 2 . 9780787617554 . Google Books.
  10. Observational tests and theoretical problems relating to the conjecture that the strength of the electromagnetic interaction may be variable . 1962 . . PhD . Peebles . Phillip James Edwin . . subscription . 83718695.
  11. Web site: Phillip James E. Peebles. Institute for Advanced Study. October 8, 2019.
  12. Web site: A 'joy ride' of a career: Peebles wins Nobel Prize in Physics for tackling big questions about the universe . Tom . Garlinghouse . October 8, 2019 . October 9, 2019 . .
  13. Web site: General Relativity's Influence and Mysteries. Institute for Advanced Study. December 10, 2015 . en. October 8, 2019.
  14. Web site: Interview with James Peebles. CERN EP newsletter. en. May 4, 2016.
  15. Web site: Announcement-The Shaw Laureate in Astronomy 2004. Shaw Foundation. January 27, 2016. February 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160203072700/http://www.shawprize.org/en/shaw.php?tmp=3&twoid=53&threeid=67&fourid=123. dead.
  16. Hu (June 28, 1994)
  17. de Swart. J. G.. Bertone. G. . van Dongen. J. . How dark matter came to matter. . 2017. 1. 3 . 0059. 0059 . 10.1038/s41550-017-0059. 1703.00013 . 2017NatAs...1E..59D . 119092226.
  18. Book: de Swart, Jaco . Blum . Alexander . Lalli . Roberto . Renn . Jürgen . The Renaissance of General Relativity in Context . Birkhäuser, Cham . 2020 . 257–284 . Closing in on the Cosmos: Cosmology's Rebirth and the Rise of the Dark Matter Problem . Einstein Studies . 16 . 10.1007/978-3-030-50754-1_8 . 1903.05281 . https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-50754-1_8 . 978-3-030-50754-1. 84832146 .
  19. Book: Galactic Dynamics . Binney. James . Tremaine. Scott . 1987. Princeton University Press. 9780691084459. 374. en.
  20. Web site: Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded for Studies of Earth's Place in the Universe . Kenneth . Chang . Megan . Specia . October 8, 2019 . October 9, 2019 . .
  21. Web site: P. James E. Peebles. American Academy of Arts & Sciences. en. 2020-05-11.
  22. Web site: P. James E. Peebles. www.nasonline.org. 2020-05-11.
  23. Web site: APS Fellow Archive.
  24. Book: Weintraub . David A. . How Old Is the Universe? . 2011 . Princeton University Press . 9780691147314 . 317 . October 8, 2019 . en.
  25. Web site: Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics American Astronomical Society . aas.org . October 8, 2019.
  26. Web site: Phillip Peebles biography. Royal Society. January 24, 2017.
  27. Web site: The Bruce Medalists . www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu . October 8, 2019.
  28. Web site: Earlier Lectures - Oskar Klein Centre . www.okc.albanova.se . October 8, 2019 . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201104135719/http://www.okc.albanova.se/research/memorial-lecture/earlier-lectures . dead .
  29. Web site: Williams . D. A. . Prof. P J E Peebles: 1998 Gold Medal . Astronomy & Geophysics . 40 . 3 . October 8, 2019 . 3.6–a–3.6 . en . 10.1093/astrog/40.3.3.6-a . June 1, 1999.
  30. Web site: 2000 Gruber Cosmology Prize Gruber Foundation . gruber.yale.edu . October 8, 2019.
  31. Web site: Princeton Announcements, June 2001 - Archived . www.princeton.edu . October 8, 2019.
  32. Web site: The Shaw Prize - Top prizes for astronomy, life science and mathematics . www.shawprize.org . October 8, 2019 . April 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180405041510/http://www.shawprize.org/en/shaw.php?tmp=3&twoid=53 . dead .
  33. Web site: American Philosophical Society Member History . www.amphilsoc.org . June 9, 2021.
  34. Web site: The Crafoord Prize 2005 . www.crafoordprize.se . January 26, 2005 . October 8, 2019.
  35. Web site: Charles M. and Martha Hitchcock Lectures Series Berkeley Graduate Lectures . gradlectures.berkeley.edu . October 8, 2019.
  36. Web site: FACULTY AWARD: Peebles awarded 2013 Dirac Medal for work in theoretical physics . Princeton University . October 8, 2019 . en.
  37. News: 12 Manitobans to receive province's highest honour this summer . October 8, 2019 . . May 12, 2017.
  38. Web site: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2019. Nobel Media AB. October 8, 2019.
  39. Web site: AAS Fellows. AAS. 30 September 2020.
  40. Web site: James Peebles. Carnegie Corporation of New York. 11 June 2021.
  41. Web site: Asteroid (18242) Peebles. April 30, 2012 . Royal Astronomical Society of Canada . October 9, 2019.
  42. Web site: PUP. Phillip James Edwin Peebles Books List of books by author Phillip James Edwin Peebles. 2023-01-15. PrincetonUniversityPress. en.

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