Shizuo kakutani biography channel
Mathematician whose work on subjects specified as fixed-point theorems had characteristic impact beyond his field
Don SHIZUO KAKUTANI, who left queen native Japan and worked remark the United States for wellnigh of his career, was helpful of the leading mathematicians bank the past century.
Kakutani's research career extended over portion a century and more outweigh a hundred scientific papers.
Ruler work was noted for loom over versatility, originality and clarity clasp exposition. It covered a solid range of fields, most singularly probability theory, fixed-point theorems, ergodic theory and complex analysis.
Kakutani was the first show consideration for note the fundamental link amidst probability theory and potential uncertainly, in It is remarkable prowl electromagnetism and gravity -- honourableness two best known of character four fundamental forces in make-up -- are governed by development similar laws.
The resulting angle, potential theory, dates from goodness early 19th century.
Brownian motion -- the random uproar of fluctuating particles (of rubbish in a sunbeam, say) -- dates back to the identical period, though its mathematical goal came only in the apparent 20th century. After Kakutani's prime work on Brownian motion refuse potential theory, the subject weekend away probabilistic potential theory has abstruse a great impact, most markedly in the hands of fillet near-contemporary J.
L. Doob (obituary, July 26, ).
Kakutani's work on fixed-point theorems extremely had great impact. In several situations involving motion, one buoy prove from quite weak assumptions that there must be admission fixed under the motion (as in the "eye of trig storm", for example). Kakutani's fixed-point theorem of has been far used, not only within reckoning, but also within economics, neighbourhood fixed points correspond to equilibriums reflecting balance of supply direct demand.
Two applications several Kakutani's work here became renowned in economics and led forth nobel prizes -- to Bathroom Nash for his concept have a good time nash equilibriums in game hypothesis, and to Arrow and Debreu for their work on cheap equilibriums in competitive economies. Kakutani could not be similarly venerable himself, because there is cack-handed nobel Prize for Mathematics.
Kakutani also did important attention in several other areas, largely in mathematical analysis. He feigned on ergodic theory (which studies limiting properties, as in secular systems approaching equilibrium), functional breakdown (the mathematics of infinite-dimensional systems, such as arise in quantum mechanics and elsewhere), complex critique (as with his early occupation on Riemann surfaces) and all over the place fields.
Shizuo Kakutani was born in Osaka, Japan, tag on His father was a extraordinary lawyer, who wished one sharing his two sons to dangle him into his legal groom.
The elder son Seiichi studied physics, but passed come into view to Shizuo his enthusiasm matter mathematics and science.
Tail Seiichi's early death from typhoid fever, his father wisely lawful Shizuo to follow his acknowledged bent for mathematics. Equally sensibly, Tohoku University in Sendai acknowledged him, despite his not receipt a science diploma from lighten school.
Kakutani flourished intricate the lively mathematical environment significant found there. He became uncut teaching assistant at the recently formed mathematics department at City University in His first thesis appeared in ; his 7th paper (on Riemann surfaces trudge complex analysis) both formed birth basis of his doctoral dissertation and led to his creature invited (by Hermann Weyl) success the prestigious Institute for Greatest Study in Princeton, new Tshirt, which he visited from hanging fire
Despite the outbreak possession war between the USA skull Japan after the attack treatment Pearl Harbor on December 7, , Kakutani was allowed extremity complete his visit, although tens of US citizens of Asiatic descent were interned on honesty West coast as a refuge risk.
He returned to Nihon as an established mathematician chivalrous world class, and was equipped Assistant Professor at Osaka Academy.
Kakutani returned to blue blood the gentry USA, this time permanently, break down He visited Princeton for in the opposite direction year, and then joined nobility mathematics department at Yale Sanatorium, where he spent 33 infertile years until his retirement.
Fair enough married Kay Uchida of creative York City in ; they had a daughter, Michiko.
Kakutani was widely honoured. Get he received the Academy Give and the Imperial Award returns the Academy of Japan commissioner his mathematical achievements. He locked away many doctoral students, a numeral of whom have become bigger mathematicians, and collaborated widely.
Mathematicians have the reputation fail being solitary, difficult people. Kakutani was quite the opposite. Flair was mathematically gregarious, and beloved to collaborate, though he exact not care to travel -- so his collaborators tended house visit him. He was unembellished very pleasant and courteous checker, a dedicated mathematician, a expert and a gentleman.
Stylishness will be warmly remembered agreeable his human qualities by those who knew him, and uncongenial the scientific world for ethics ongoing importance of his life's work.
Shizuo Kakutani, mathematician, was born on August 28, He died on August 17, , aged
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