Maverick Mathematician

212 Pages·2006·18.61 MB·English

MAVERICK
MATHEMATICIAN
The Life and Science
of J.E. Moyal

MAVERICK
MATHEMATICIAN
The Life and Science
of J.E. Moyal
Ann Moyal
Published by ANU E Press
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200, Australia
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://epress.anu.edu.au
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Moyal, Ann (Ann Mozley), 1926- .
Maverick mathematician : the life and science of J.E. Moyal.

Includes index.
ISBN 1 920942 58 0 (pbk).
ISBN 1 920942 59 9 (online)

1. Moyal, J. E. 2. Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice),
1902- - Correspondence. 3. Mathematicians - Australia -
Biography. 4. Aerospace engineers - Australia - Biography.
5. Quantum theory - Mathematics. I. Title.

510.92
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the
publisher.
Indexed by Dr Ann Moyal.
Cover design by Teresa Prowse.
Portrait by Linda Phillips, 1992.
This edition © 2006 ANU E Press
To Mimi Hurley, my sister and
J.E.M.’s friend.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Preface xi
Chapter 1. Boyhood 1
Chapter 2. The Making of a Scientific Maverick 9
Chapter 3. Battle With a Legend 19
Chapter 4. The Widening Circle 45
Chapter 5. Antipodean Winds 61
Chapter 6. Argonne National Laboratory 79
Chapter 7. Macquarie University 91
Chapter 8. The Reflective Years 103
Appendix I. Publications of J.E. Moyal 119
Appendix II. P.A.M. Dirac – J. E. Moyal: Correspondence,
1944-1946. Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science,
Canberra, MS 45/3/ 123
Appendix III. Quantum Mechanics as a Statistical Theory by
J.E. Moyal 163
Index 191

List of Figures
1.1. Palestine under the British Mandate 1922–1948 2
3.1. Paul Dirac, tenacious ‘high priest’ of theoretical physics 22
3.2. Letter from P.A.M. Dirac 35
4.1. Maurice Bartlett, statistician – a valuable ally and colleague of
Joe’s 45
4.2. Harry Messel, Sydney University’s dynamic director of the
School of Physics until 1987 56
5.1. The young Australian National University in 1958 where staff,
recruited across many disciplines, mixed in the temporary structure
of the ‘Old Hospital Building’ seen here 61
5.2. JM — in Canberra, 1958. Appointed Reader in Statistics at the
ANU that year, he was an early founding scientist of the
University 66
5.3. Ann Mozley arrived at the ANU late in 1958 to help found the
Australian Dictionary of Biography 71
5.4. Statistician Joe Gani took up a position in the Department of
Statistics, ANU in 1961 72
5.5. Joe Moyal after his marriage to Ann, 1963 74
6.1. Argonne National Laboratory, America’s leading National
Atomic Energy Laboratory for peaceful purposes. Deer played in
its spacious parks 79
6.2. JM — with familiar cigar at the Moyal apartment, Lisle,
Illinois 82
6.3. Joe ready to dive in Caribbean waters, 1969 84
7.1. John Clive Ward, an eminent figure in physics at
Macquarie 93
7.2. Macquarie mathematician, Alan McIntosh, who would rise to
become head of the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications at
the ANU 96
8.1. Joe Moyal in retirement, still thinking about quantum
theory 103
8.2. Joe camping in Queensland, 1984 114
8.3. Portrait of Ann and Joe Moyal, Canberra, 1995 116
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