Alexander MacAulay

Infobox Person
name = Alexander MacAulay


caption =
birth_date = birth date|1863|12|9|df=y
birth_place =
death_date = death date and age|1931|7|6|1863|12|9|df=y
death_place =
known_for = Quaternion advocate
occupation = Professor

Alexander MacAulay (1863 - 1931) was an explorer of Clifford biquaternion theory and was the first professor of mathematics and physics at the University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania. Alexander was born 9 December 1863 and attended Cambridge University, taking his degree in 1886. Departing for Australia, he lectured at Ormond College, University of Melbourne from 1893 to 1895.He was an advocate of quaternion calculus for modeling physical relations.
Peter Guthrie Tait praised MacAulay's book "Utility of Quaternions in Physics" in these terms::Here, at last, we exclaim, is a man who has caught the full spirit of the quaternion system: the real "aestus", the "awen" of the Welsh Bards, the "divinus afflatus" that transports the poet beyond the limits of sublunary things! Intuitively recognizing its power, he snatches up the magnificent weapon which Hamilton tenders us all, and at once dashes off to the jungle on the quest of big game.

He took up the position in Tasmania from 1896 until 1929. In 1898 he published through Cambridge his "Octonions: a Development of Clifford's Biquaternions".Alexander MacAulay died 6 July 1931 As recently as 2002 the lives of Alexander and his son, who also taught physics in Hobart, were celebrated at the university (see external link).His brother Francis Sowerby Macaulay, who stayed in England, also contributed to ring theory.

References

*1892 Rev N M Ferres, Review of "On the Mathematical Theory of Electromagnetism", in Proc. Royal Society, London, v.51,p.400
*1893 A. MacAulay "Utility of Quaternions in Physics" London.
*1893, 28 December "Nature" P.G. Tait review quoted above.
*1895 Rev n M Ferres, Preview of "Octonions", ibid. v.59,p.169.
*1900 A. MacAulay "Notes on the Electromagnetic Theory of Light", Phil.Mag.(5)v.49,pp.228-242.
*1967 M.J. Crowe A History of Vector Analysis, U. Notre Dame Press. Chapter 6 details MacAulay's four contributions in 1893 and 94 to the debate on vectors and quaternions.
* [http://www.phys.utas.edu.au/PHYSICS/AIP_TasBranch/Program/McAulay_public_lectures.htm Public lectures in 2002 at University of Tasmania]

External links

* [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100196b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography]