Math man Atle Selberg dead at 90

General Science / Mathematics

Atle Selberg, a prolific mathematical researcher with multiple terms that bear his name, has died in Princeton, N.J., at the age of 90.

The mathematician died Aug. 6 after suffering a heart attack in his home, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Selberg's contributions to the world of mathematics have been immortalized by concepts named for their creator: the Selberg trace formula, the Selberg sieve, the Selberg integral, the Selberg class, the Rankin-Selberg L-function, the Selberg eigenvalue conjecture and the Selberg zeta function.

"His far-reaching contributions have left a profound imprint on the world of mathematics and we have lost not only a mathematical giant but a dear friend," Peter Goddard, director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University told the Times.

Selberg is survived by his second wife, Betty Compton; a daughter, Ingrid Maria Selberg of London; a son, Lars Atle Selberg of Middlefield, Conn.; stepdaughters Heidi Faith of Mountain View, Calif., and Cindy Faith of Roland Park, Md.; and four grandchildren.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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