William Rowan Hamilton's "Theory of Systems of Rays"

William Rowan Hamilton
August 4th, 1805 to September 2nd, 1865

In 1827, William Rowan Hamilton presented his Theory of Systems of Rays at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. Although he was still an undergraduate, only 21 years old, his work is one of the important works in optics, for it provided a single function that brings together mechanics, optics and mathematics. It led to establishing the wave theory of light, which gives that light is a form of energy that travels in waves.

Full four texts...

Theory of Systems of Rays

Supplement to an Essay on the Theory of Systems of Rays

Second Supplement to an Essay on the Theory of Systems of Rays

Third Supplement to an Essay on the Theory of Systems of Rays


William Rowan Hamilton