List of important publications in physics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of important publications in physics, organized by field.
Some reasons why a particular publication might be regarded as important:
- Topic creator – A publication that created a new topic
- Breakthrough – A publication that changed scientific knowledge significantly
- Introduction – A publication that is a good introduction or survey of a topic
- Influence – A publication which has significantly influenced the world
- Latest and greatest – The current most advanced result in a topic
[edit] Classical mechanics
[edit] Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica
Description: The Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Latin: "mathematical principles of natural philosophy", often Principia or Principia Mathematica for short) is a three-volume work by Isaac Newton published on July 5, 1687. Probably the most influential scientific book ever published, it contains the statement of Newton's laws of motion forming the foundation of classical mechanics as well as his law of universal gravitation. He derives Kepler's laws for the motion of the planets (which were first obtained empirically).
In formulating his physical theories, Newton had developed a field of mathematics known as calculus.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] Classical Mechanics
- Herbert Goldstein
- Addison Wesley
Description: The standard graduate textbook on Classical Mechanics, widely considered to be one of the best books on the subject.
Importance: Introduction, Influence
[edit] Special theory of relativity
[edit] On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies
Description: Special relativity, developed in 1905, only considers observers in inertial reference frames which are in uniform motion with respect to each other. Einstein's paper that year was called "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies". While developing this theory, Einstein wrote to Mileva (his wife) about "our work on relative motion". This paper introduced the special theory of relativity, a theory of time, distance, mass and energy. The theory postulates that the speed of light in vacuum will be the same for these observers. Special relativity solved the puzzle that had been apparent since the Michelson-Morley experiment, which had failed to show that light waves were travelling through any medium (other known waves travelled through media - such as water or air). It had been suggested that light waves actually did not travel through any medium: the speed of light was thus fixed, and not relative to the movement of the observer. This was impossible under Newtonian classical mechanics however, and Einstein provided a new system which allowed for this.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] The Theory of Relativity
- Ludwik Silberstein
- Cambridge University Press, 1914
Description: This pioneering textbook drew together the now well-known developments of H.A.Lorentz, A. Einstein, and H. Minkowski. It uses concepts developed in the then- current textbooks (e.g. Gibbs: Vector Analysis and Bonola: Non-Euclidean Geometry) to provide entry into mathematical physics including a vector-based introduction to quaternions and a primer on matrix notation for linear transformations of 4-vectors. The ten chapters are composed of 4 on kinematics, 3 on quaternion methods, and 3 on electromagnetism. The second edition published in 1924 extended relativity into gravitation theory with tensor methods, but was superseded by Eddington's text. The book has a conversational style and embellished with appropriate footnotes. While the mathematics is generally well adapted to the text, there is an erroneous expression given for the quaternionic representation of Lorentz transformations. The expression should have the form of an inner automorphism but Silberstein inexplicably uses the expression Q[]Q , failing to supply one of the Q's with a − 1 exponent. The actual technique in geometric arithmetic comes about with inversive ring geometry applied to biquaternions.
Importance: Influence
[edit] Spacetime Physics
- Edwin F. Taylor, John Archibald Wheeler
- W. H. Freeman (2nd edition 1992) ISBN 0716723271
Description: A modern introduction to special relativity, that explains well how the choice to divide spacetime into a time part and a space part is no different than two choices bout how to assign coordinates to the surface of the earth. Suitable for self-study.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] It's About Time
- N. David Mermin
- Princeton University Press (2005) ISBN 0691122016
Description: An introduction to special relativity, that does not make the assumption that the reader knows how to make spacetime diagrams.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] General theory of relativity
[edit] The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] The Mathematical Theory of Relativity
- Arthur Stanley Eddington
- Cambridge University Press, 1923, 1924
Description: This textbook is a tour-de-force of tensor calculus, developed in Chapter II. By page 83 he has deduced the Schwarzschild metric for the domain of events around an isolated massive particle. By page 92 he has explained the advance of the perihelion of the planets, the deflection of light, and displacement of Fraunhofer lines. Electromagnetism is relegated to Chapter VI (pp. 170-195), and later (p. 223) The bifurcation of geometry and electrodynamics. This text, with its ambitious development of pseudo-Riemannian geometry for gravitational theory, set an austere standard with relativity enthusiasts. Gone is any mention of quaternions or hyperbolic geometry since tensor calculus subsumes them. Thus for learning the mechanics of modern relativity this text still serves, but for motivation and context of the special theory, Silberstein is better.
Importance: Influence
[edit] Gravitation
- Charles W. Misner, Kip S. Thorne, and John Archibald Wheeler
- W. H. Freeman, 1973
Description: A book on gravitation (often considered the "Bible" by researchers for its prominence) by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler. Published by W.H. Freeman and Company in 1973. A massive tome of over 1200 pages, the book covers all aspects of the General Theory of Relativity and also considers some extensions and experimental confirmation. The book is divided into two "tracks", the second of which covers more advanced topics.
Importance: Introduction, Influence
[edit] A First Course in General Relativity
- Bernard F. Schutz
- Cambridge University Press, 1985
Description: A book on the Theory of General Relativity that is suitable for a year-long undergraduate course on the subject that can also stand as a semester-long course for graduate students.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] Quantum theory
[edit] On the Law of Distribution of Energy in the Normal Spectrum
- Max Planck
- Annalen der Physik, vol. 4, p. 553 ff (1901).
- On the Law of Distribution of Energy in the Normal Spectrum
Description: In physics, the intensity spectrum of electromagnetic radiation from a black body at temperature T is given by the Planck's law of black body radiation:
where:
- ν is the frequency
- I(ν) is the amount of energy per unit time per unit surface per unit solid angle emitted in the frequency range between ν and ν+δν [W m-2 Hz-1 sr-1];
- h is Planck's constant,:
- c is the speed of light and
- k is Boltzmann's constant.
Max Planck originally produced this law in 1900 (published in 1901) in an attempt to interpolate between the Rayleigh-Jeans law (which worked at long wavelengths) and Wien's law (which worked at short wavelengths). He found that the above function fit the data for all wavelengths remarkably well.
This paper is considered to be the beginning of quantum theory.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] The Principles of Quantum Mechanics
Description: Quantum mechanics as explained by one of the founders of the field, Paul Dirac. First edition published on 29 May 1930.
Importance: Introduction, Influence, Historical importance. The second to the last chapter is particularly interesting because of its prediction of the positron.
Table of Contents:
- The Principle of Superposition
- Dynamical Variables and Observables
- Representations
- The Quantum Conditions
- The Equations of Motion
- Elementary Applications
- Perturbation Theory
- Collision Problems
- Systems containing several similar particles
- Theory of Radiation
- Relativistic Theory of the electron
- Quantum Electrodynamics
[edit] Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
- David J. Griffiths
- Prentice Hall (2nd edition 2004) ISBN 0-13-805326-X
Description: A how-to for Quantum Mechanics aimed at the physics undergraduate.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] Thermodynamics
[edit] An Experimental Enquiry Concerning the Source of the Heat which is Excited by Friction
- Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (1798). "An Experimental Enquiry Concerning the Source of the Heat which is Excited by Friction". Philosophical Transaction of the Royal Society: 102.
Description: Observations of the generation of heat during the boring of cannons led Rumford to reject the caloric theory and to contend that heat was a form of motion.
Importance: Influence
[edit] On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances
- Gibbs, J. Willard (1875-1878). On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances. Connecticut Acad. Sci.. Reprinted in
- Gibbs, J. Willard (October 1993). The Scientific Papers of J. Willard Gibbs (Vol. 1). Ox Bow Press. ISBN 0-918024-77-3.
- Gibbs, J. Willard (February 1994). The Scientific Papers of J. Willard Gibbs (Vol. 2). Ox Bow Press. ISBN 1-881987-06-X.
Description: Between 1876 and 1878 Gibbs wrote a series of papers collectively entitled "On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances", considered one of the greatest achievements in physical science in the 19th century and the foundation of the science of physical chemistry. In these papers Gibbs applied thermodynamics to the interpretation of physicochemical phenomena and showed the explanation and interrelationship of what had been known only as isolated, inexplicable facts. Gibbs' papers on heterogeneous equilibria included:
- Some chemical potential concepts
- Some free energy concepts
- A Gibbsian ensemble ideal (basis of the statistical mechanics field)
- A phase rule
Importance:
[edit] Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics
- Ashley H. Carter
- Benjamin Cummings (2000) ISBN 0137792085
Description: Covers the phenomenological basis of classical thermodynamics itself and also the statistical theory, without assuming the reader already knows statistics or quantum mechanics. Truly an introdcutory text, you can pick it up after taking advanced calculus and first year general physics and a semester later know about Bose-Einstein condensation, population inversions, and even information theory.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] Statistical mechanics
[edit] On the Motion—Required by the Molecular Kinetic Theory of Heat—of Small Particles Suspended in a Stationary Liquid
- Einstein, Albert (1905). "Über die von der molekularkinetischen Theorie der Wärme geforderte Bewegung von in ruhenden Flüssigkeiten suspendierten Teilchen (On the Motion—Required by the Molecular Kinetic Theory of Heat—of Small Particles Suspended in a Stationary Liquid)". Ann. Phys. 17 (549).
Description: In this publication Einstein covered his study of Brownian motion, and provided empirical evidence for the existence of atoms.
Importance:
[edit] Scaling laws for Ising models near Tc
- Leo P. Kadanoff
- Physica 2, p. 263 (1966).
Description: Introduces the real space view on the renormalization group, and explains using this concept some relations between the scaling exponents of the Ising model.
Importance: Topic creator, breakthrough, influence
[edit] The renormalization group: critical phenomena and the Kondo problem
Description: Application of the renormalization group to the solution of the Kondo problem. The author was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1982 because of this work.
Importance: Breakthrough, influence
[edit] Electromagnetism
[edit] Experimental Researches in Electricity
- Michael Faraday
- Experimental Researches in Electricity, vols. i. and ii., Richard and John Edward Taylor, vols. i. and ii. (1844 and 1847); vol. iii. (1844); vol. iii. Richard Taylor and William Francis (1855);
- "Experimental Researches in Electricity" by Michael Faraday Original text with Biographical Introduction by Professor John Tyndall, 1914, Everyman edition.
Description: Faraday's law of induction and research in electromagnetism
Importance:
[edit] A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field
- James Clerk Maxwell
- Maxwell, James Clerk, "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field". 1865.
Description: "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field" was the third of James Clerk Maxwell's papers concerned with electromagnetism. The concept of displacement current was introduced, so that it became possible to derive equations of electromagnetic wave. It was the first paper in which Maxwell's equations appeared.
Importance: Topic creator, breakthrough, influence
[edit] Classical Electrodynamics
- John David Jackson
- Wiley (3rd edition 1998) ISBN 047130932X
Description: The defining graduate-level introductory text.
Importance: Influence, Introduction
[edit] Introduction to Electrodynamics
- David Griffiths
- Prentice Hall. (3rd edition 1998) ISBN 0-13-805326-X.
Description: A standard undergraduate introductory text.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] Fluid dynamics
[edit] An experimental investigation of the circumstances which determine whether the motion of water shall be direct or sinuous, and of the law of resistance in parallel channels
- Osbourne Reynolds
- Philosophical Transactions, vol. 174, (1883).
Description: Introduces the dimensionless Reynolds number, investigating the critical Reynolds number for transition from laminar to turbulent flow.
[edit] The local structure of turbulence in incompressible viscous fluid for very large Reynolds numbers
- A.N. Kolmogorov
- Dokl. Akad. Nauk. SSSR 30, p. 4 (1941). Reprinted in Proc. Roy. Soc. A 434, p. 9 (1991).
Description: Introduces the only quantitative theory on turbulence which has survived the test of time.
Importance: Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] Statistical fluid mechanics
- A.S. Monin, A.M. Yaglom
- The MIT press (1971). First edition in Russian by Nauka (1965).
Description: The most important review text on turbulence.
Importance: Relevant textbook.
[edit] Nonlinear dynamics and chaos
[edit] Deterministic nonperiodic flow
- Edward Lorenz
- Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, vol. 20, p. 130-148 (1963).
Description: A finite system of deterministic nonlinear ordinary differential equations is introduced to represent forced dissipative hydrodynamic flow, simulating simple phenomena in the real atmosphere. All of the solutions are found to be unstable, and most of them nonperiodic, thus forcing to reevaluate the feasibility of long-term weather prediction. In this paper the Lorenz attractor is presented for the first time, and gave the first hint of what is now known as butterfly effect.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough
[edit] Period Three Implies Chaos
- T.Y. Li, J.A. Yorke.
- American Mathematical Monthly 82, pp. 985-992, (1975).
[edit] Quantum field theory
[edit] Space-Time approach to Quantum Electrodynamics
Description: Introduction of the Feynman diagrams approach to quantum electrodynamics.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] Cosmology
[edit] The Early Universe
- E.W. Kolb, M.S. Turner
- Addison-Wesley, 1990.
Description: Reference textbook on cosmology, discussing both observational and theoretical issues.
Importance: Relevant textbook.
[edit] Condensed matter physics
[edit] Theory of superconductivity
- J. Bardeen, L. N. Cooper, and J. R. Schrieffer
- Phys. Rev. 108 (5), 1175-1204 (1957).
Description: The BCS theory of usual (not high T_c) superconductivity, relating the interaction of electrons and the phonons of a lattice. The authors were awarded with the Nobel prize.
Importance: Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] Solid State Physics
- Neil W. Ashcroft, N. David Mermin
- Brooks Cole, 1976, ISBN 0030839939
Description: It is so old that it still calls condensed matter physics by the out of fashion name of solid state physics, but yet it is still a good introduction to the topic.
Importance: Introduction
[edit] Simulating physics with computers
- Richard Feynman
- International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 21(6/7): pp. 467-488, (1982).
- Online version
Description: A digital computer as an efficient universal computing device; the simulation of quantum mechanics and the use of quantum computers
Importance: influence
[edit] Polymer physics
[edit] Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics, Statistics, Polymer Physics, and Financial Markets
- Kleinert, Hagen
- 4th edition, World Scientific (Singapore, 2004); Paperback ISBN 981-238-107-4 (also available online: PDF-files)
[edit] The Theory of Polymer Dynamics
- M. Doi, S. F. Edwards, (International Series of Monographs on Physics)
[edit] On Intramolecular Statistics, Particularly for Chain Molecules
- Eugene Guth and Herman Mark,
- Monatschefte für Chemie, 65, 93 (1934).
Description: This paper contains, among other contributions, the first theoretical description of statistical mechanics of polymers with application to viscosity and rubber elasticity, and an expression for the entropy gain during the coiling of linear flexible molecules.
Importance: Contains the foundation of the kinetic theory of rubber elasticity.
[edit] Elastic and Thermodynamic Properties of Rubberlike Materials: A Statistical Theory
- Eugene Guth and Hubert M. James
- Industrial Engineering Chemistry, 33, 624 (1941)
Description: This work was presented earlier by Guth at the American Chemical Society meeting of 1939. The article contains the first outline of the network theory of rubber elasticity. The resulting Guth-James equation of state is analogous to van der Waal's equation.
Importance: Pioneering contribution to polymer physics.
[edit] Theory of Elastic Properties of Rubber
- Eugene Guth and Hubert M. James
- Journal of Chemical Physics, 15, 2941 (1943).
Description: This article presents a more detailed version of the network theory of rubber elasticity. The paper used average forces to some extent instead of thermodynamical functions. In statistical thermodynamics, these two procedures are equivalent.
Importance: Pioneering contribution. After some controversy within the literature, the James-Guth network theory is now generally accepted for larger extensions. See, e.g., Paul Flory's comments in Proc. Royal Soc. A. 351, 351 (1976).
[edit] Plasma physics
[edit] The Collected Works of Irving Langmuir (1961)
- Irving Langmuir
- Vol.3: Thermonic Phenomenon: papers from 1916-1937
- Vol.4: Electrical Discharges: papers from 1923-1931
These two volumes from Nobel Prize winning scientist Irving Langmuir, include his early published papers resulting from his experiments with ionized gases (ie. plasma). The books summarise many of the basic properties of plasmas. Langmuir coined the word plamsa in about 1928.
Importance: Influence
[edit] Cosmical Electrodynamics, 2nd ed. (1963)
Hannes Alfvén won the Nobel Prize for his development of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) the science that models plasma as fluids. This book lays down the ground work, but also shows that MHD may be inadequate for low-density plasmas such as space plasmas.
Importance: Topic creator, Breakthrough, Influence
[edit] Vehicle dynamics
[edit] The Automotive Chassis Engineering Principles
- J. Reimpell H. Stoll J. W. Betzler.
- ISBN 978-0-7680-0657-5
Description: Vehicle dynamics and chassis design from a production car perspective.
Importance: Latest and greatest.
[edit] Race Car Vehicle Dynamics
- Milliken and Milliken.
Description: Vehicle dynamics and chassis design from a race car perspective.
Importance: Latest and greatest, also the standard reference for automotive suspension engineers.
[edit] Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
- Thomas Gillespie.
Description: Mathematically oriented derivation of standard vehicle dynamics equations, and definitions of standard terms.
Importance: Introduction to modern vehicle dynamics theory.
[edit] Chassis Design - Principles and Analysis
- William F. Milliken and Doug Milliken.
Description: Vehicle dynamics as developed by Maurice Olley from the 1930s onwards. First comprehensive analytical synthesis of vehicle dynamics.
Importance: Topic creator.
[edit] Geophysics
[edit] Seismic Data Processing
- Ozdogan Yilmaz
- Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 1987, (ISBN 0-931830-40-0).
Description: Up to date account of seismic data processing in the petroleum geophysics industry.
Importance:
[edit] Mathematical physics
[edit] Ising's Thesis
- Ising's thesis proving the non-existence of phase transitions in the 1-dimensional Ising model.
[edit] Contour Argument
- 1946 - Peierls' contour argument proving the existence of phase transitions in higher dimensional Ising models.
[edit] Infrared bounds, phase transitions and continuous symmetry breaking
- Jurg Fröhlich, Tom Spencer, and Simon
- Infrared bounds, phase transitions and continuous symmetry breaking
Description: Proved the existence of phase transitions of continuous symmetry models in at least 3 dimensions. Communications in Mathematical Physics 50 (1) p79-95 1976 [1]
Importance:
[edit] Mathematical Physics (1961)
- Donald H. Menzel, Harvard University
- Dover Publications, 1961
Description: Thorough introduction to the mathematical methods of classical mechanics, electromagnetic theory, quantum theory and general relativity. Accessible to students who have finished a one year course in calculus. Much more so than Morse and Feshbach. First published 1961. Available in Dover Editions.
Importance: Introduction.
[edit] Physics of computation
Lloyd, S., 2000, Ultimate physical limits of computation, Nature, 406:1047-1054.
[edit] Standard Model
[edit] Computational physics
[edit] Accelerator physics
[edit] Acoustics
[edit] Astrophysics
[edit] Cryogenics
[edit] Optics
[edit] Materials physics
[edit] Nuclear physics
[edit] Particle physics
[edit] Astronomy
[edit] Biophysics
[edit] Cycles
[edit] Medical physics
[edit] Chemical physics
[edit] See also
- Category:Important publication in physics
- List of publications in science
Categories: Articles lacking sources from June 2006 | All articles lacking sources | Physics lists | Lists of publications in science | Acoustics | Applied and interdisciplinary physics | Astrophysics | Computational physics | Condensed matter physics | Electromagnetism | Experimental physics | History of physics | Mechanics | Optics | Particle physics | Philosophy of physics | Physics books | Plasma physics | Relativity | Statistical mechanics | Theoretical physics | Thermodynamics
