Abstract
Analysis of the makeup and contributions of the British contingents to the first two Solvay Councils can elucidate the character of British mathematical physics and its internal dynamics at a critical time in its development.
The paper provides this analysis, outlines the process of selection of the participants, parses the meaning of “international” in the Solvay context, and offers an explanation of the differential attendance of the British at the two Councils. Most of those invited to the first refused whereas all but one of those invited to the second accepted. The unusual social and scientific views of Ernest Solvay help to explain this divergence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
It is a pleasure to thank Franklin Lambert for information from and introduction to the Solvay Archives. The following abbreviations are used in the notes: ERC, Ernest Rutherford Correspondence, Cambridge University Library, as microfilmed by Sources for History of Quantum Physics; FAL, Frederick A. Lindemann Papers, Nuffield College, Oxford; JLC, Joseph Larmor Correspondence, St John’s College, Cambridge; JJT, Joseph John Thomson Papers, Cambridge University Library, Add Mss 7654; SAB, Solvay Archives, Brussels; Solvay I, La théorie du rayonnement et les quanta (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1912); Solvay II, La structure de la matière (Paris: Gauthier-Villars, 1921).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heilbron, J.L. British participation in the first Solvay Councils on physics. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 224, 2041–2055 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2015-02522-5
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2015-02522-5