Pauli, Wolfgang#
b. Vienna, April 25, 1900, d. Zurich (Switzerland), Dec. 15, 1958, physicist, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945 for the discovery of the principle of quantum theory named after him, brother of Hertha Pauli. His doctoral thesis (1921) proved that the theory of quantum physics at that time considered valid was incorrect. In cooperation with W. Heisenberg, M. Born and N. Bohr developed matrix mechanics were, which P. used in 1926 for the calculation of the hydrogen spectrum. 1924 discovered the exclusion principle (P.-Principle), for which he received the Nobel prize for physics in 1945. 1926-1928 professor in Hamburg, then in Zurich, 1940-1946 in the USA, 1946 returned to Switzerland. 1931 solved the problem of beta-decay by positing the existence of the neutrino, which was not proved by experiments until 1956. From 1953 P. had a much-acknowledged discussion with W. Heisenberg about his unified theory on matter ("world formula").
Works#
Die allgemeinen Prinzipien der Wellenmechanik, 1990 (new edition); Wissenschaftlicher Briefwechsel mit Bohr, Einstein, Heisenberg und anderen, 1979; Das Gewissen der Physik, ed. by C. P. Enz and H. v. Meyenn, 1988.Literature#
K. v. Laurikainen, The Message of the Atoms. Essays on W. P. and the Unspeakable, 1997; E. P. Fischer, An den Grenzen des Denkens. W. P. - ein Nobelpreistraeger ueber die Nachtseiten der Wissenschaft, 2000; NOeB.