Coxeter and his diagrams: a personal account (Q2809964)

This interesting and informative semi-historical, semi-survey article is written by a distinguished mathematician (Robert Moody) with reminiscences about another distinguished mathematician (H.S.M. Coxeter), and dedicated to the anniversary of the third distinguished mathematician (Jun Morita).NEWLINENEWLINEThe article can be roughly divided into three parts: the story of discovery of Coxeter-Dynkin diagrams, the story of discovery of Kac-Moody algebras, and recent appearances of Coxeter-Dynkin diagrams in other parts of mathematics and science (approximation theory and Chebyshev polynomials, aperiodic crystals, dynamical systems, ...).NEWLINENEWLINEDuring his university studies, Moody took many classes with Coxeter (``Taking classes from Coxeter was a bit strange. I rarely thought that he proved things properly or even at all.''). This was a starting point of a fascinating intellectual journey which ultimately led him to discover Kac-Moody algebras.NEWLINENEWLINEThe article is decorated with pictures of Daya-Nand Verma, Victor Kac, Coxeter-Dynkin diagrams, tilings, and other interesting and remarkable entities.