John Crank
John Crank (born February 6, 1916 in Hindley, Lancashire , United Kingdom ; † October 3, 2006 ) was an English mathematician whose work on the numerical solution of partial differential equations , especially the heat conduction equation , was groundbreaking.
Life
Crank graduated from Manchester University from 1934-1938 , from which he completed a Master of Science (MSc) degree. During the Second World War he was drafted into military service and worked in the field of ballistics . After the war he worked as a mathematical physicist at Courtaulds Fundamental Research Laboratory. In 1953, Crank received his PhD from Manchester University as a Doctor of Science (DSc). In 1957 he became head of the mathematics department at Brunel College in Acton (later Brunel University ), where he was appointed professor in 1966 . Crank was two-term vice president of Brunel University before 1981 retired . A Brunel University building and a garden he donated are named after John Crank.
John Crank was married for 63 years. The marriage had 2 children.
plant
Together with Phyllis Nicolson, John Crank developed the Crank-Nicolson method , a finite difference method for the numerical solution of the heat conduction equation . In his book "The Mathematics of Diffusion" he published analytical and numerical solutions of this partial differential equation for a wide variety of boundary and initial conditions . He also worked on solving mathematical models that are used to describe, for example, crystal growth and deep-freezing processes . His work on moving boundary problems was fundamental.
Fonts
- The Mathematics of Diffusion , Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 1980, ISBN 978-0198534112
- Free and Moving Boundary Problems , Clarendon Press, reprint, 1987, ISBN 978-0198533702
literature
- Jack Howlett and JC Newby: Foreword. (Preface to the fixed edition on the occasion of John Crank's 80th birthday), Advances in Computational Mathematics 6, 1, iii – vi, 1996, doi : 10.1007 / BF02127692
Web links
- Brunel University ( Memento from June 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Short biography (School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland )
- Obituary on telegraph.co.uk ( Memento of March 11, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Crank, John |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English mathematician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 6, 1916 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hindley, Lancashire , United Kingdom |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 3, 2006 |