Kip Thorne

Kip Stephen Thorne (born June 1, 1940) is an American theoretical physicist, known for his prolific contributions in the field of gravitation physics and astrophysics. He is the current Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech and one of the world?s leading experts on the astrophysical implications of Einstein?s general theory of relativity.

Areas of research

Professor Kip S. Thorne's primary areas of research are Einstein's general theory of relativity and astrophysics. Thorne's scientific contributions, which focus on the general nature of space, time, and gravity, span the full range of topics in general relativity including means to test general relativity against rival theories of gravity, applications of relativity to stellar structure and evolution (e.g., his studies of the structures and evolution of massive stars that have a black hole or neutron star in their cores), black holes, wormholes, gravitons, and gravitational waves. He is perhaps best known for his controversial theory that wormholes can conceivably be used for time travel. Thorne is the first person conducting scientific research on whether the laws of physics permit space and time to be multiply connected (can there exist classical, traversable wormholeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wormhole#Traversable_wormholes, and "time machines"?). Thorne also has investigated such topics as the quantum statistical mechanical origin of the entropy of a black hole, and the entropy of a cosmological horizon in an inflationary model of the universe. Thorne is currently interested in the origin of classical space and time from the quantum foam of quantum gravity theory. Among a handful of physicists, Professor Thorne is considered one of the world?s authorities on gravitational waves. In part, his work has dealt with the prediction of gravity-wave strengths and their temporal signatures as observed on the Earth. These ?signatures? are of great relevance to LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory), a multi-institution gravity wave experiment for which Thorne has been a leading proponent - in 1984, he cofounded the LIGO Project (the largest project ever funded by the NSF) to discern and measure any fluctuations between two or more 'static' points; such fluctuations would be evidence of gravitational waves, as calculations describe. Most importantly, he laid the foundations for the theory of pulsations of relativistic stars and the gravitational radiation they emit.

Related Topics:
Einstein's - General theory of relativity - Astrophysics - Space - Time - Gravity - Stellar structure - Evolution - Neutron star - Black hole - Wormhole - Graviton - Gravitational wave - Time travel - Multiply connected - Time machine - Quantum - Statistical mechanical - Entropy - Inflationary model - Quantum foam - Quantum gravity - LIGO - 1984 - NSF - Relativistic star - Gravitational radiation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~