The doctoral thesis titled Klassifikation af regelytorna af sjette graden, completed by Anders Wiman in 1892, established his early focus on the classification of regular surfaces of the sixth degree. This work marked the beginning of a long career that saw him become a figure in the development of algebraic geometry and function theory throughout the twentieth century.
Academic Formation and Early Research
Born in 1865 in Hammarlöv, Sweden, Wiman enrolled at Lund University in 1885. He studied mathematics, botany, and Latin, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1887 and a licentiate in 1891. Under the supervision of Carl Fabian Björling, he completed his doctorate in 1892. Following his graduation, he served as a docent at Lund University until 1901. During these years, he classified algebraic curves of genus 3, 4, 5, and 6 that possessed non-trivial algebraic automorphisms. Additionally, his 1900 paper on small denominators marked an early application of measure theory to probabilistic problems.
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In 1901, Wiman moved to Uppsala University to accept an extraordinary professorship in algebra and number theory. Promoted to an ordinary professor in 1906, he maintained his position until 1929, when he was named professor emeritus. During his tenure, his research expanded into the solubility of algebraic equations, Galois groups, and entire functions. Between 1914 and 1916, he developed the Wiman-Valiron theory alongside Georges Valiron, a framework that remains a significant contribution to function theory. He also formulated Wiman's theorem, a generalization of Hadamard's theorem, and contributed extensively to the study of zeros of the derivatives of entire functions.
Geometry and Professional Legacy
Wiman’s research frequently intersected algebraic geometry and group theory. He proved that for n greater than 7, within dimensions less than n–2, no collineation groups exist that are isomorphic to symmetric or alternating groups on n symbols. He also identified all finite groups of birational transformations of the plane and authored the entry on finite groups of linear transformations for Klein's encyclopedia. His professional service included acting as an editor for Acta Mathematica starting in 1908. He held memberships in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, and various other scholarly organizations. Wiman returned to Lund late in life, where he died in 1959 and was buried at Lilla Slågarps kyrka.
Fast facts
- Born: 1865, Hammarlöv
- Died: 1959, Lund
- Education: Lund University (1885-1891)
- Uppsala University Tenure: 1901-1930
- Notable Works: Wiman's sextic, Wiman-Valiron theory
- Burial Site: Lilla Slågarps kyrka
Questions readers ask
What is Wiman's sextic?
It is a specific algebraic curve introduced by Anders Wiman in the context of his research on algebraic geometry.
Where did Wiman hold academic positions?
He was employed at Lund University from 1892 to 1901 and at Uppsala University from 1901 to 1930.
Achievements
- Notable work: Wiman-Valiron theory
- Notable work: Wiman's sextic
- Held posts at Lund University and Uppsala University
- Fields: mathematics
