昂萨格:精研拙言的交叉型大师

Onsager: A Wise but Inarticulate Master

昂萨格横跨化学、物理、数学、生命科学多个领域,尤其以电导极限公式、线性不可逆过程的倒易关系、二维伊辛模型的精确求解、液晶的硬杆模型、金属抗磁性理论、超流体的量子化涡旋理论而著名。他精于研,却拙于言。四十余年的教学生涯只是留下不善讲演的评价,这与他自我意识强的人格特质和含混委婉的表达方式不无关系。

Onsager＇s study covered chemistry, physics, maths and life sciences. He made groundbreaking achievement in electrolyte, dielectric, colloid, ferromagnetic phase transition, diamagnetism, liquid crystal, superconductivity, superfluidity, turbulence, and other issues. As a researcher, he was wise but inarticulate. Though he worked as a teacher for more than forty years, he had not been a good lecturer which was due to his personal trait and way of expression.