Strutt was born in Langford Grove,
Essex and in his early years suffered frailty and poor health.
He went to
Harrow School and began studying mathematics at
Trinity College, University of Cambridge, in 1861. In 1865, he obtained his BA (
Senior Wrangler and 1st
Smith's prize) and MA in 1868. He was subsequently elected to a Fellowship of Trinity. He held the post until his marriage to Evelyn Balfour, daughter of
James Maitland Balfour in 1871. He had three sons with her.
In 1873 his father, John Strutt, 2nd Baron Rayleigh died, and he inherited the
Barony of Rayleigh.
He was the second
Cavendish Professor of Physics at the
University of Cambridge, following
James Clerk Maxwell in this position from 1879 to 1884. He first described
dynamic soaring by
seabirds in 1883 in the British journal
Nature.
Approximately 1900 Lord Rayleigh developed the
Duplex (combination of two) Theory (Human sound localization using two
binaural cues). Interaural time delay (ITD) and interaural level difference (ILD) (assuming a spherical head with no external pinnae). Humans perceive sound objects spatially, using the difference in the phase (time delay) of the sound and the difference in amplitude (level) between the two ears, in a similar way that stereoscopic sight provides depth perception. Also called two primary cues for azimuth (horizontal location) but possibly its two primary cues for a 3 dimensional bearing. For example when you hear a seagull call out you can determine roughly x y and z location of the sound. Although Pinnae reflections are considered a main cue for vertical localisation.
Lord Rayleigh was elected to Fellow of the
Royal Society on June 12, 1873 and was elected president of the
Royal Society between 1905 and 1908.
Lord Rayleigh died on June 30, 1919 in
Witham, Essex.
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