Jones, Vaughan

Jones, Vaughan

▪ New Zealand mathematician
in full  Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones 
born December 31, 1952, Gisborne, New Zealand

      New Zealand mathematician who was awarded the Fields Medal in 1990 for his study of functional analysis (analysis) and knot theory.

      Jones attended the University of Geneva's school of mathematics (Ph.D., 1979) and became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, U.S., in 1985. He was awarded the Fields Medal at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Kyōto, Japan, in 1990.

      In his study of von Neumann algebras (algebras of bounded operators acting on a Hilbert space), Jones came across polynomials that were invariant for knots and links—simple closed curves in three-dimensional space. Initially it was suspected that these were essentially Alexander polynomials (named after the work of the American mathematician James W. Alexander (Alexander, James Waddell, II) in 1928), but this turned out not to be the case. For any topological displacement (without cutting the loop), the associated Alexander polynomial is unchanged, or invariant. Both Alexander's polynomials and the new polynomials are specializations of the more general two-variable Jones polynomials. The Jones polynomials do have an advantage over the earlier Alexander polynomials in that they distinguish knots from their mirror images. Further, while these polynomials are useful in knot theory, they are also of interest in the study of statistical mechanics, Dynkin diagrams in the representation theory of simple Lie algebras, and quantum groups. (For further information, see mathematics, history of: Mathematical physics and the theory of groups (mathematics).)

      Jones's publications include Actions of Finite Groups on the Hyperfinite Type II 1 Factor (1980); with Frederick M. Goodman and Pierre de la Harpe, Coxeter Graphs and Towers of Algebras (1989); and Subfactors and Knots (1991).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Vaughan Jones — Vaughan F. R. Jones (mitte) Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones (* 31. Dezember 1952 in Gisborne, Neuseeland) ist Professor für Mathematik an der Berkeley University. Er gewann 1990 die Fields Medaille für seine Arbeit über neue Knoteninvarianten.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones — Pr Vaughan Jones Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones (né le 31  décembre  1 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones — (Gisborne, 31 de diciembre de 1952) es un matemático neozelandés, conocido por sus trabajos sobre el álgebra de Von Neumann y la teoría de los nudos. Ganó la Medalla Fields en 1990. Es profesor en la Universidad de California, Ber …   Wikipedia Español

  • Vaughan Jones — Infobox Scientist box width = name = Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones image size = caption = Vaughan Jones in 2007 birth date = Birth date and age|1952|12|31 birth place = Gisborne, New Zealand death date = death place = residence = citizenship =… …   Wikipedia

  • Vaughan Jones — en mars 2007, à l ENS Ulm Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones (né le 31 décembre 1952) est un mathématicien néo zélandais, connu pour son travail sur les algèbres de von Neumann, la théorie des nœuds et la théorie conforme des champs. Il est né à… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vaughan F. R. Jones — (Mitte), links Grigori Margulis, rechts Nigel Hitchin Vaughan Frederick Randal Jones (* 31. Dezember 1952 in Gisborne, Neuseeland) ist Professor für Mathematik an der Berkeley University. Er gewann 1990 die Fields Medaille für seine Arbeit über… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Vaughan, Mississippi — Vaughan (sometimes spelled Vaughn) is an unincorporated community in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. It is 32 miles from the state capital of Jackson and 12 miles east of Benton. It was founded in 1830 and named for Henry Vaughan, who… …   Wikipedia

  • Vaughan — puede referirse a: Vaughan, una ciudad canadiense localizada en la provincia de Ontario. Ralph Vaughan Williams, un compositor británico. Vaughan Lewis, un político de Santa Lucía. Vaughan Arnell, un director británico de vídeos musicales y… …   Wikipedia Español

  • VAUGHAN (S.) — VAUGHAN SARAH (1924 1990) Lois Sarah Vaughan naît le 27 mars 1924 à Newark (New Jersey). Un père charpentier mais qui joue de la guitare, une mère blanchisseuse mais qui chante à l’église: il n’en fallait pas plus pour que s’ouvrent devant elle… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Jones (Familienname) — Jones ist ein englischer Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Der patronymische Name bedeutet „Sohn des John“ (englisch) oder „Sohn des Ioan“ (walisisch). Varianten Johns Johnson, Jonson Bekannte Namensträger Inhaltsverzeichnis A …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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