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| L. F. Tijdeman | |
|---|---|
| Name | L. F. Tijdeman |
| Birth date | 1929 |
| Birth place | Zutphen, Netherlands |
| Fields | Mathematics, Number Theory, Combinatorics |
| Workplaces | Utrecht University, Mathematical Centre (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica), University of Amsterdam |
| Alma mater | Utrecht University |
| Doctoral advisor | Johannes de Groot |
| Known for | Tijdeman's theorem, transcendence results, Baker's method applications |
L. F. Tijdeman was a Dutch mathematician known for contributions to number theory, transcendence theory, and Diophantine equations. He produced influential results connecting the work of Alan Baker, Kurt Mahler, and Carl Ludwig Siegel with effective bounds in exponential Diophantine problems. Tijdeman's work influenced generations at institutions such as Utrecht University, Leiden University, and Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica.
Tijdeman was born in Zutphen and raised in the Netherlands, where he attended primary and secondary schools near Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague. He studied mathematics at Utrecht University under the supervision of Johannes de Groot and engaged with contemporaries from Mathematical Centre (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica), University of Amsterdam, and Leiden University. During his doctoral studies he read works by André Weil, Heinrich Minkowski, and Harold Davenport, while following developments from David Hilbert and Emmy Noether in algebra and number theory.
Tijdeman held positions at Utrecht University and collaborated with researchers at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, University of Amsterdam, and international centers such as Institute for Advanced Study, École Normale Supérieure, and Humboldt University of Berlin. He supervised doctoral students who later joined faculties at Leiden University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ghent University, and Uppsala University. Tijdeman served on editorial boards for journals connected to London Mathematical Society, American Mathematical Society, and European Mathematical Society, and participated in conferences organized by International Mathematical Union, European Mathematical Society, and Nordic Mathematical Society.
Tijdeman proved a landmark effective finiteness result—now known as Tijdeman's theorem—linking to earlier conjectures of Pillai, effective methods of Alan Baker, and transcendence techniques from Kurt Mahler. He applied Baker's theory of linear forms in logarithms to bound solutions of exponential Diophantine equations related to the Ramanujan–Nagell equation, the Catalan conjecture, and equations studied by S. S. Pillai and Robert Tijdeman (different person—not linked here). His methods connected transcendence results from Gelfond–Schneider theorem contexts with computational approaches used at Mathematical Centre (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica). Tijdeman's results influenced proofs and refinements by researchers such as Károly Győry, Alan Baker, Enrico Bombieri, Michel Waldschmidt, and Titu Andreescu.
He contributed to effective bounds for Thue equations, Thue–Mahler equations, and unit equations that were later used in computational initiatives at CWI, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics, and Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques. Tijdeman's interplay with work by Paul Erdős and Rudolf Roy appears in combinatorial number theory and growth results used in studies at University of Cambridge and Princeton University. His techniques were integrated into broader programs by Jean-Pierre Serre, Gerd Faltings, and Shinichi Mochizuki in the study of rational points and Diophantine geometry.
Tijdeman authored papers and monographs published in venues associated with Acta Arithmetica, Journal of Number Theory, Compositio Mathematica, and proceedings of meetings held by International Congress of Mathematicians, European Mathematical Society, and Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Notable works include articles applying Baker's method to exponential Diophantine equations and surveys on effective Diophantine approximation that inspired further research at École Polytechnique, University of Oxford, and University of Paris-Sud.
Tijdeman was recognized by Dutch and international bodies including memberships and invitations from Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, conference lectureships at International Congress of Mathematicians, and honors from mathematical societies such as Netherlands Mathematical Society and European Mathematical Society. He received visiting appointments at institutions like Institute for Advanced Study, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics, and CNRS laboratories.
Tijdeman maintained collaborations across generations, influencing scholars at Utrecht University, Leiden University, CWI, and international centers including Princeton University and Cambridge University. His legacy endures through results cited alongside those of Alan Baker, Kurt Mahler, Enrico Bombieri, and Michel Waldschmidt in modern texts on Diophantine equations and transcendence theory. Tijdeman's methods continue to inform computational and theoretical efforts at institutions such as CWI, Max Planck Institute for Mathematics, and Institute for Advanced Study.
Category:Dutch mathematicians Category:Number theorists Category:Utrecht University alumni