Hippolyte Fizeau

Lequeux James

Description

The French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau was the first to have directly measured the velocity of light in 1849. He discovered the shift in wavelength produced by the relative velocity of a light or sound source and an observer independently from Doppler. But it is not generally known that he was also a pioneer of photography, that he performed with Léon Foucaults magnificent interference experiments, in particular in the infrared, and also that several of his other experiments put his successors on the track to Relativity. Fizeau also imagined, in 1851, that the apparent diameter of stars could be measured by interferometry, opening the way for developments that are presently experiencing enormous success. This book is the very first devoted to the scientific work of this great physicist.

Most of the experimental notes of Fizeau have been preserved as well as many of his instruments, making it possible to reconstruct the processes of his research in an exceptionally precise and detailed manner. The book, illustrated with numerous autographs and featuring important unpublished texts, is written in a lively and easily accessible way.

Sujets

• Sciences expérimentales
• Physique
• Astronomie et astrophysique
• Histoire des sciences
• Space Science
• Sciences et techniques
• Astronomy
• Science
• Astronomie

Informations

• Publié par: EDP Sciences
• Date de parution: 09 juillet 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782759821884
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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S c i e n c e&H i s t o r y

Hippolyte Fizeau Physicist of the light

James Lequeux

Hippolyte Fizeau Physist of the ligth James Lequeux

HE French physicist Hippolyte Fizeau was the first to have directly measured the velocity of light in 1849. He discov- ity T of a light or sound source and an observer independently from ered the shift in wavelength produced by the relative veloc- Doppler. But it is not generally known that he was also a pioneer of photography, that he performed with Léon Foucaults magnif- icent interference experiments, in particular in the infrared, and also that several of his other experiments put his successors on the track to Relativity. Fizeau also imagined, in 1851, that the apparent diameter of stars could be measured by interferometry, opening the way for developments that are presently experienc- ing enormous success. This book is the very first devoted to the scientific work of this great physicist.

Most of the experimental notes of Fizeau have been preserved as well as many of his instruments, making it possible to reconstruct the processes of his research in an exceptionally precise and detailed manner. The book, illustrated with numerous autographs and featuring important unpublished texts, is written in a lively and easily accessible way.

James Lequeux is an astronomer emeritus of the Paris Observatory. He has published scientific biographies of Arago and Foucault in English, and many textbooks and popular books in French and in English. He has been awarded animportantprizeforthehistoryandphilosophyofsciencebytheFrench Academy of sciences.

978-2-7598-2045-0

www.edpsciences.org

HIppolyte FIzeau, pysIcIst of te lIgt

James Lequeux Emeritus Astronomer at the Paris Observatory

17, avenue du Hoggar Parc d’Activité de Courtabœuf, BP 112 91944 Les Ulis Cedex A, France

Printed in France © 2020, EDP Sciences, 17 avenue du Hoggar, BP 112, Parc d’activités de Courtaboeuf, 91944 Les Ulis Cedex A This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broad-casting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in data bank. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is only permitted under the provisions of the French Copyright law of March 11, 1957. Violations fall under the prosecution act of the French Copyright law.

ISBN (print): 978-2-7598-2045-0 - ISBN (ebook): 978-2-7598-2188-4

Introduction

Thé fîst half of thé nînétéénth céntûy saw thé émééncé în Fancé of physîcîsts and astonomés of éxtaodînay qûalîty, who éstablîshéd classîcal physîcs to a laé éxtént and évén céatéd astophysîcs. Thé pécédîn céntûy had séén éat pécûsos lîké Laané, Laplacé, Lavoîsîé o Moné, whîlé péstîîoûs înstîtûtîons had pomotéd scî- éncé and édûcatîon; bût, thanks thé socîal pomotîon madé possîblé by thé révolûtîon, by thé céatîon of thé Polytéchnîc school by thé Convéntîon, and by thé eyptîan campaîn, néw talénts of thé hîhést odé émééd. Thé évolûtîonay and omantîc énthûsîasm allowéd thém all boldnéss. Thé most împotant physîcîsts and astonomés of thîs énéatîon wéé ûndoûblty Ampéé, Aao, Canot, Foûîé, Fésnél and Malûs. Scîéntîfîc bîoaphîés havé béén pûblîshéd on éach of thém, at léast în Fénch. A sécond, no léss bîllîant énéatîon înclûdés Fîzéaû, Foûcaûlt and Lé Véîé. Thé last two havé béén, too, thé sûbjécts of écént scîéntîfîc bîoaphîés în enlîsh. Only Fîzéaû émaînéd lîttlé stûdîéd, whîch îs why i woté thé pésént book. Laté, în thé sécond half of thé nînétéénth céntûy, Fénch scîéncé was on thé déclîné, and ît woûld bé dîffîcûlt to qûoté physîcîsts and astono- més wîth as mûch énîûs as thé pécédîn onés, wîth thé éxcéptîons of PoîncaÈ, Lanévîn and thé Cûîé. Thé éasons fo thîs déclîné, at a tîmé whén scîéncé floûîshéd în gémany, enland and thé unîtéd Statés, émaîn to bé stûdîéd în détaîl. Fîzéaû’s lîfé was that of a wéalthy boûéoîs, safé fom matéîal concéns, who was ablé to concéntaté fûlly and wîthoût hîndancé on scîéncé. Hé was énéally déscîbéd as a “landlod” o “annûîtant” în offîcîal docûménts. Thé pîvaté pat of hîs lîfé offés no patîcûla întéést, and îs cétaînly not thé focûs of thîs book. As fo hîs scîéntîfîc caéé, ûntîl 1849 ît mééd wîth that of Léon Foûcaûlt, wîth whom hé wokéd almost constantly. Théy had mûch în common: thé samé aé, médîcal stûdîés, consîdéablé manûal skîll and pééléss învéntîvénéss. in 1849, Fîzéaû caîéd aloné hîs famoûs méasûémént of thé vélocîty of lîht; thén, thé followîn yéa, thé two mén féll oût wîth éach othé

iV

Hîppolyté Fîzéaû

afté théî compétîtîon to méasûé thé dîffééncé în thé vélocîtîés of lîht în aî and waté. Théy now followéd dîvéént paths, oftén hash and ûnéxpéctéd în thé casé of Foûcaûlt who dîéd yoûn, în 1868, of what was lîkély mûltîplé scléosîs. Fo hîs pat, Fîzéaû madé othé bîl- lant éxpéîménts, thén bécamé an éstablîshéd and consîdééd scîéntîst, wéll însétéd în hîs tîmé, whîch dîd not pévént hîm fom havîn occa- sîonally somé bîht and înnovatîvé îdéas. Hé dîéd în 1896 afté a lon caéé, and a patîcûlaly lon sévîcé as a mémbé of thé Académy of Scîéncés, whîch hé had éntééd on Janûay 2, 1860. i want to thank my wîfé génévîèvé and my fîénd Wîllîam Tobîn fo théî caéfûl éadîn of thé Fénch téxt and théî nûméoûs sûéstîons fo coéctîn and împovîn ît. Wîllîam Tobîn also commûnîcatéd o showéd to mé ûnpûblîshéd docûménts. i thank Floéncé géffé fo hé wam wélcomé to thé Achîvés of thé Académy of Scîéncés and fo allowîn mé to épodûcé and pûblîsh nûméoûs aûtoaph docûménts fom thé Fîzéaû fûnds. Sîmîlaly, thé Mayo of Sûésnés and Ms. Maîé-Pîéé Déûîllaûmé, dîécto of thé Mûséûm of uban and Socîal Hîstoy of thîs cîty, havé aûthoîzéd mé to pûblîsh othé aûtoaph docûménts as wéll as photoaphs of înstûménts that bélonéd to Fîzéaû: many thanks to thém and to thé mûséûm staff. Maîé-Chîstîné Thooîs kîndly povîdéd photoaphs of thé éplîca of thé Fîzéaû appa- atûs that bélons to thé mûséûm of thé ecolé Polytéchnîqûé. Fînally, i thank my colléaûés of thé Lîbay of thé Paîs Obsévatoy, who aé always éady to maké avaîlablé to ûsés îmaés fom théî colléctîons.

Contents

Introduction

Capter 1. he begInnIng of a scIentIic lIfe 1.1 Thé daûééotypé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 A décîsîvé éncoûnté. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 2. A fruItful collaboratIon 2.1 intéféométy and thé natûé of lîht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 Thé natûé of thé înfaéd adîatîons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 3. he Doppler-FIzeau eect 3.1 Chîstîan Dopplé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2 Chîstophoûs Bûîjs-Ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.3 Hîppolyté Fîzéaû . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.4 Thé fûtûé of thé Dopplé-Fîzéaû éfféct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 4. he velocIty of lIgt and electrIcIty 4.1 A fétîlé péîod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 Thé fîst dîéct méasûémént of thé vélocîty of lîht . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 Thé méasûéménts of thé vélocîty of lîht afté Fîzéaû . . . . . . . . . . 4.4 Thé vélocîty of éléctîcîty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 5. he “crucIal experIment”: te velocIty of lIgt In aIr and water 5.1 Thé pojéct of Aao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 Fîzéaû and Foûcaûlt také ûp Aao’s éxpéîmént . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 Thé stééplé chasé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 6. he drag of æter 6.1 Act 1: Mîchéll, Aao and Fésnél . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2 Act 2: Fîzéaû and Mîchélson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3 Act 3: Fîzéaû and Mîchélson aaîn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.4 Act 4: Loéntz, eînstéîn and von Laûé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capter 7. he dIameter of stars 7.1 A bîllîant îdéa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2 Thé fîst tésts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.3 Mîchélson aaîn! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.4 Stanatîon and énéwal of astonomîcal întéféométy . . . . . . . . . .

III

1 3 8

15 16 22

27 28 33 35 38

45 46 48 55 58

65 66 68 71

75 76 81 89 94

97 98 103 108 112

Vi

Hîppolyté Fîzéaû

Capter 8. A Igly esteemed scIentIst 8.1 A shoténéd famîly lîfé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.2 Somé séconday bût înnovatîvé woks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3 A pîlla of Fénch physîcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.4 A stûdîoûs énd of lîfé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix 1. Genealogy of Fizeau and his wife

Appendix 2. Chronology

Appendix 3. Correspondence Fizeau-Foucault

Bibliography

Index

115 116 118 122 125

127

129

131

135

139

Chapter 1 The beginning of a scientific life

On 1839 Aûûst 19, Aao pésénts to thé Académy of Scîéncés and thé Académy of Fîné Ats thé photoaphîc pocéss of Daûéé. Bîblîothèqûé dé l’Obsévatoîé dé Paîs.

2

Hîppolyté Fîzéaû

Amand-Hîppolyté-Loûîs Fîzéaû, sîxth în a famîly of nîné chîldén, sévéal of whom dîéd în înfancy, was bon în Paîs, 7 ûé ThîbaûtodÈ d în thé Loûvé dîstîct, on thé 23 of Séptémbé 1819. Hé was baptîzéd th on Séptémbé 29 în thé Saînt-gémaîn l’Aûxéoîs chûch. Hîs sîs- té gabîéllé, a élîîoûs péson, dîéd în 1862. Thé two othé sîstés and thé two yoûné bothés émaînîn dîéd în 1854, 1880, 1880 and 1885 éspéctîvély (séé Appéndîx 1). Lîttlé îs known aboût hîs mothé, BÈatîx (o BÈatîcé) Maîé Pétél. Hîs fathé, Loûîs-AîmÈ Fîzéaû th (1776-1864), had maîéd hé on 20 Jûné 1809. A féw yéas afté thé bîth of Hîppolyté, în 1823, hîs fathé was appoîntéd a pofésso at thé Facûlty of Médîcîné of Paîs, dûîn thé éoanîzatîon of thé facûlty whîch ésûltéd în thé éxpûlsîon of sévéal of îts mémbés fo polîtîcal éasons (somé of thé éxclûdéd péoplé aé famoûs în Fancé: Péllétan, Pînél, Vaûqûélîn). Hé was hîmsélf dîsmîsséd fo sîmîla éasons în 1830, 1 dûîn thé Jûly révolûtîon . Lînkéd to Laénnéc (1781-1826), hé héld thé chaî of înténal dîséasés; hé was oné of thé fîst adépt of aûscûl- tatîon of patîénts. Hîppolyté stûdîéd as a non-ésîdént at Collèé Stanîslas and was sûpposéd to sûccééd hîs fathé as a physîcîan. Bût hîs héalth, afféctéd by sévéé héadachés, focéd hîm to întéûpt hîs médîcal stûdîés. Soon, hé écovééd sûffîcîéntly to bé ablé to follow hîs scîéntîfîc tastés. An 2 aûtoaph shéét , ûnfotûnatély dîffîcûlt to éad, îndîcatés thé coûsé of hîs stûdîés and thé namé of hîs téachés (thé boxés aé în thé oîînal): 1835: rhétoîc 1836: Also phîlosophy 1837: Chémîsty (Dûmas, Boûssînaûlt, Ofîla), Physîcs (Dûlon) 1838: Tavél; [îlléîblé] 1839: [îlléîblé] Sîcknéss; géoloy coûsés, physîcal stûdîés, dîs- séctîons, hospîtals, chémîsty, M Maéndîé; good wok ; idéas on a Mémoî on thé shapé of dops. 1840: Tîp to Lé Havé; gold salts; Léctûés by M Élîé dé Béaûmont; [îlléîblé]; Coûsé of D. Blaînvîllé. Daûééotypé . 1841: Tavél în Anjoû; Bomîné; éléctoplatîn; Léctûés by M. Blaînvîllé, rénaûlt, Élîé dé Béaûmont. 1842: Tavél; Noté on bomîné; Coûsé of rénaûlt; Mathématîcs.

1  Colîéû, A. (1896)Centenaire de la Faculté de Médecine de Paris, Paîs, impîméîé natîonalé. 2  AcadÈmîé dés Scîéncés/instîtût dé Fancé, fonds 64 J,Hîppolyté Fîzéaû, dossîé 9.28.