Scientist to visit N.Z.

Press, 24 August 1977, Page 4

Scientist to visit N.Z.

A United States astrophysicist, Professor K. S. Thome, will visit the University of Canterbury as an Erskine Fellow next month. Professor Thome will give two series of lectures, the first a public one entitled, “The search for a black hole in space.” Professor Thome is professor of theoretical physics at, the California Institute of I Technology. He is the principal author of a 1300-page text, “Gravitation,” that has| become an international: standard teaching text in re-1 lativity and relatavistic astrophysics,. The first of Professor, Thome’s two series of lec- 1

turns will test Einstein’s general theory of relativity, and give alternatives, examine the origins of the universe, gravitational collapse, and black holes, The second, at a more technical level, will deal with relatavistic astrophysics, gravitation, and cosmology. Professor Thome is the | author of more than 100 articles and papers, and coi author of three books on I gravitation. In 1969, he was I visiting professor at Moscow University. In 1972, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and I Sciences.