Boris Liapounov: Memoir of Aleksandr Liapounov

Aleksandr Mikhailovich Liapounov (1857-1918), mathematician, mechanician and physicist, was born on 6 June 1857, at Yaroslavl on the Volga, the eldest son of the astronomer Michael Vasilevitch Liapounov. He studied at the University of St Petersburg, graduating in 1880, and received his Master's degree in 1884. In 1885 he became private reader of the University at Kharkov in the chair of mechanics, where he had been lecturing since 1880. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 1892, and became a professsor at the university. In 1901 he became head of applied mathematics at the University at Saint Petersburg. Liapounov carried out important work on differential equations, potential theory, the stability of systems, and probability theory. He died at Odessa on 3 November 1918.

Boris Mikhailovich Liapunov (1862-1943), linguist, was the brother of A.M. Liapunov. He became Corresponding Member of the Division of Russian Language and Philology in 1907, and Academician of the Division of Russian Language and Philology in 1923.

Sketch of the life and work of A. M. Liapounov by B.M. Lyapunov, which appeared in the Reports of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1930, with related works, translated into English by A. J. Pressland, 89 folios: (fo. 1) the Russian Academy sketch; (fo. 46) lecture by A. M. Liapunov 'On the form of celestial bodies'; (fo. 77) obituary notice for Liapounov.

Presented by A.J. Pressland, 1931.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives, Boris Liapounov: Memoir of Aleksandr Liapounov, MS Add.6656