Wolfgang Rindler
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Rindler is a leading physicist
working in the field of General Relativity
where he is well known for introducing the term "event horizon
", Rindler coordinates
, and (in collaboration with Roger Penrose
) for popularizing the use of spinors in general relativity. He is also a prolific textbook author.
, London.
, Southwest Center for Advanced Studies before working at the University of Texas at Dallas
. The first edition of his textbook Essential Relativity: Special, General, and Cosmological was published in 1969 by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company; the second edition was published by Springer-Verlag in 1977. See references for the latest textbook.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
working in the field of General Relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
where he is well known for introducing the term "event horizon
Event horizon
In general relativity, an event horizon is a boundary in spacetime beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer. In layman's terms it is defined as "the point of no return" i.e. the point at which the gravitational pull becomes so great as to make escape impossible. The most common case...
", Rindler coordinates
Rindler coordinates
In relativistic physics, the Rindler coordinate chart is an important and useful coordinate chart representing part of flat spacetime, also called the Minkowski vacuum. The Rindler chart was introduced by Wolfgang Rindler. The Rindler coordinate system or frame describes a uniformly accelerating...
, and (in collaboration with Roger Penrose
Roger Penrose
Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS is an English mathematical physicist and Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College...
) for popularizing the use of spinors in general relativity. He is also a prolific textbook author.
Education
Rindler gained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Liverpool University and his Ph.D. from King's CollegeKing's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, London.
Career
Rindler worked at Liverpool University, London University, Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Southwest Center for Advanced Studies before working at the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
. The first edition of his textbook Essential Relativity: Special, General, and Cosmological was published in 1969 by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company; the second edition was published by Springer-Verlag in 1977. See references for the latest textbook.
See also
- Bell's spaceship paradoxBell's spaceship paradoxBell's spaceship paradox is a thought experiment in special relativity involving accelerated spaceships and strings. The results of this thought experiment are for many people paradoxical. While J. S. Bell's 1976 version of the paradox is the most widely known, it was first designed by E. Dewan and M...
- Rindler coordinatesRindler coordinatesIn relativistic physics, the Rindler coordinate chart is an important and useful coordinate chart representing part of flat spacetime, also called the Minkowski vacuum. The Rindler chart was introduced by Wolfgang Rindler. The Rindler coordinate system or frame describes a uniformly accelerating...
- Unruh effectUnruh effectThe Unruh effect , was first described by Stephen Fulling in 1973, Paul Davies in 1975 and Bill Unruh in 1976. It is the prediction that an accelerating observer will observe black-body radiation where an inertial observer would observe none...
- Ladder paradoxLadder paradoxThe ladder paradox is a thought experiment in special relativity. It involves a ladder travelling horizontally and undergoing a length contraction, the result of which being that it can fit into a much smaller garage...