A dissertation completed in 1951 at the University of Hamburg provided an alternative proof of the Riemann hypothesis for algebraic function fields over a finite field. This achievement, presented by Peter Jaques Roquette under the supervision of Helmut Hasse, established his initial contribution to the field of algebraic geometry and number theory during the mid-twentieth century.
Academic Progression and Early Research
Born in Königsberg in 1927, Roquette pursued his education across several German institutions, including the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Humboldt University of Berlin, and the University of Hamburg. Following his doctoral work, he held assistant positions at the Mathematical Research Institute at Oberwolfach and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Between 1954 and 1956, he expanded his research scope while working at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He later held academic roles as a Privatdozent at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the University of Hamburg.
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In 1959, Roquette accepted an associate professorship at Saarland University and a similar appointment at the University of Tübingen. His career advanced in 1967 when he became a professor at Heidelberg University. He remained at the university until his retirement in 1996. Throughout his tenure, he was a member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Duisburg-Essen in 1985 and maintained status as an honorary member of the Mathematical Society of Hamburg.
Contributions to Algebra and History
Roquette focused his mathematical research on function fields, number fields, and local p-adic fields. A notable collaboration with Abraham Robinson utilized methods of nonstandard arithmetic to examine Diophantine equations, specifically addressing the work of Siegel and Mahler regarding integral points on curves. Beyond his primary research, he documented the development of twentieth-century mathematics. He edited the collected papers of Helmut Hasse and oversaw publications detailing the correspondence between mathematicians such as Emmy Noether, Emil Artin, and Helmut Hasse. He died in Heidelberg on 24 February 2023 at the age of 95.
Fast facts
- Born: 8 October 1927, Königsberg
- Died: 24 February 2023, Heidelberg
- Citizenship: Germany
- Fields of study: Algebra, number theory, algebraic geometry
- Doctoral advisor: Helmut Hasse
- Notable students: Gerhard Frey, Volker Weispfenning
- Awards: Honorary doctorate, University of Duisburg-Essen, 1985
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of Roquette's 1951 dissertation?
It provided a new proof of the Riemann hypothesis for algebraic function fields over a finite field.
Which major mathematical figures did Roquette write about as a historian?
He authored works focusing on the mathematical schools of Helmut Hasse and Emmy Noether.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Tübingen, University of Hamburg and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Fields: mathematics, algebraic geometry and algebra
