Arago

Dominique Francois Jean Arago

Born: 26 Feb 1786 in Estagel, Roussillon, France
Died: 2 Oct 1853 in Paris, France

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Francois Arago was educated at the École Polytechnique in Paris and became professor of geometry there at the age of 23. Later he became director of the Paris Observatory.

Arago made early discoveries on the corpuscular theory of light in 1811. Working with Fresnel he discovered that two beams of light polarised in perpendicular directions do not interfere, leading to the transverse theory of light waves.

Working with Biot he made measurements of arc length on the Earth which led to the standardisation of the metric system of lengths. He suggested his student Le Verrier investigate irregularities in Uranus's orbit and, after Neptune was discovered, participated in the argument with Adams regarding priority.

References elsewhere in this archive:

Tell me about Arago's work on orbits and gravitation

References:

  1. Dictionary of Scientific Biography
  2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. M Daumas, Arago (Paris, 1943).
  4. M Daumas, Arago, 1786-1853 : la jeunesse de la science (Paris, 1987) (New edition).
  5. J Levy, Arago et l'astronomie populaire, L'Astronomie 100 (1986), 549-562.
  6. I Howard-Duff, D.F.J. Arago, 1786-1853, The Journal of the British Astronomical Association 97 (1986), 26-29.
  7. L M Dougherty and A Dollfus, F.D. Arago's polarimeter and his original observation of extraterrestrial polarisation in 1811 (1989).
  8. A Audiganne, Francois Arago : son genie et son influence (Paris, 1857). 
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JOC/EFR February 1996