I'm interested in the mathematical problems proposed for the grand-prix
of the French Academy Of Sciences, from its beginnigs in 1666 to the present.
Are there any books or articles with the precise problem statements & the winners?
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2 Answers
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5
Ernest Maindron, Les fondations de prix à l’Académie des sciences: Les lauréats de l’Académie, 1714–1880. Gauthier-Villars, Paris, 1881.
It is striking and not well-enough known (e.g. to Wikipedia) how the huge 125,000 pounds endowed in 1714 by Rouillé de Meslay (compare £20,000 for the famous Longitude Act drafted by Newton) drove fame and focus to celestial mechanics (for navigation, mostly even years) and shipbuilding (odd years) in 18th century science and technology, until the French Revolution:
| Year | Subject | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 1720 | Nature of motion | Crousaz |
| 1720 | Clock stabilization at sea | Massy |
| 1724 | Collision laws | Mac Laurin, J. Bernoulli |
| 1725 | Hourglass and water clock stabilization at sea | D. Bernoulli |
| 1726 | Collision laws | Mazière |
| 1727 | Ship masting | Bouguer, Le Camus |
| 1728 | Causes of gravity | Bulffinger |
| 1729 | Height measurement at sea | Bouguer |
| 1730 | Motion of planetary aphelia | J. Bernoulli |
| 1731 | Compass use at sea | Bouguer |
| 1732 | Tilting of planetary orbits | ∅ |
| 1733 | Ship path tracing | Poleni |
| 1734 | Tilting of planetary orbits | D. Bernoulli, J. Bernoulli |
| 1736 | Propagation of light | J. Bernoulli |
| 1737 | Anchor design | Créqui, Poleni, Trésaguet, D. Bernoulli, J. Bernoulli |
| 1738 | Nature and propagation of fire | Créqui, Lozeran de Fiesc, L. Euler |
| 1740 | Tides | Cavalleri, Mac Laurin, L. Euler, D. Bernoulli |
| 1741 | Capstan building | de Pontis, Fenel, Delorme, Poleni, Ludot, J. Bernoulli |
| 1743 | Compass building | L. Euler, D. Bernoulli |
| 1746 | Compass magnetism | Dutour, L. Euler, D. Bernoulli, J. Bernoulli |
| 1747 | Finding time at sea | D. Bernoulli |
| 1748 | Inequalities of Saturn and Jupiter | L. Euler |
| 1750 | Inequalities of Saturn and Jupiter | ∅ |
| 1751 | Estimation of currents at sea | D. Bernoulli |
| 1752 | Inequalities of Saturn and Jupiter | Bošković, L. Euler |
| 1753 | Ship propulsion | Mathon de la Cour, Pereyre, L. Euler, D. Bernoulli |
| 1754 | Planetary perturbations of Earth | ∅ |
| 1755 | Ship pitch and roll | Chauchot |
| 1756 | Planetary perturbations of Earth | L. Euler |
| 1757 | Ship pitch and roll | D. Bernoulli |
| 1758 | Celestial body atmospheres | Frisi |
| 1759 | Ship pitch and roll | Groignard, L. Euler |
| 1760 | Mean motion of planets | Frisi, C. Euler |
| 1761 | Ship stowage and ballasting | Bossut, J. A. Euler |
| 1762 | Lunar acceleration | Bossut |
| 1764 | Lunar libration | Lagrange |
| 1765 | Ship stowage and ballasting | Bourdé de Villehuet, Groignard, Gautier, Bossut |
| 1766 | Satellites of Jupiter | Lagrange |
| 1768 | Secular equation of the Moon | ∅ |
| 1769 | Timekeeping at sea | Le Roy |
| 1770 | Secular equation of the Moon | J. A. Euler, L. Euler |
| 1772 | Secular equation of the Moon | Lagrange, L. Euler |
| 1773 | Timekeeping at sea | Arsandeaux, Le Roy |
| 1774 | Secular equation of the Moon | Lagrange |
| 1776 | Planetary perturbations of comets | ∅ |
| 1777 | Compass building | Magny, Van Swinden, Coulomb |
| 1778 | Planetary perturbations of comets | Fuss |
| 1780 | Planetary perturbations of comets | Lagrange |
| 1781 | Rope stiffness and friction in winches | Delanges, Ximenes, L. Carnot, Coulomb |
| 1782 | Comets of 1532 and 1661 | Méchain |
| 1787 | Maritime insurance | Bicquilley, Delacroix |
| 1791 | Resistance of fluids | Gerlach, Romme |
| 1791 | Herschel’s planet | Delambre |
| 1792 | Satellites of Jupiter | Delambre |
More details in:
Frédéric Marguet, Histoire générale de la navigation du XVe au XXe siècle. Société d’Éditions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, Paris, 1931.
answered Oct 28, 2018 at 12:24
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$\begingroup$ Very nice! But what about after 1880? $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 28, 2018 at 14:57
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$\begingroup$ I wanted to add one point for the addition of Marguet, but somehow the system does not allow it. I was under impression that after a an answer was edited I can vote once more. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 28, 2018 at 17:16
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$\begingroup$ It seems that from the pure utilitarian view the British had better return on their money:-) $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 28, 2018 at 17:17
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$\begingroup$ For sure, their navy ended up trouncing the rest of them, and they got an empire. But I remember reading that Harrison’s clocks long remained so expensive that in practice most ships used the lunar distance method, based on the work of Euler and Mayer. Also, I believe the French prizes only spent the interest of the original fund, not the capital (which only later got lost to inflation or political turmoil). And today we do use celestial navigation — only with ad hoc satellites (GPS). (P.S. I appreciate your generous intent :-)) $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 28, 2018 at 18:20
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The first prize winning essays are available in full via Google Books in Pieces qui ont remporte les deux prizes de l'Academie Royale des Sciences (Paris 1721). Hope your 18th century French is up to scratch!
