Von Karman Or Von Kar-Mind? Worth To Be Known

Paper number

IAC-07-E4.2.04

Author

Ms. Ines Alonso Gomez, Aeronautical Engineering School of Madrid (Spain) (Polytechnical University of Madrid), Spain

Year

2007

Abstract

When the answer to the question ´Have you ever heard about von Kármán?’ is ´No... You mean von Karajan, the great orchestra conductor?’, it is the job of science and engineering lovers to let the world know who this celebrity was, specially now that he is not among us anymore.
 Theodore von Kármán was one of the few truly giants of aeronautics that could compete with the great minds of the twentieth century. The modern aerodynamic field as it is known today would not be the same without him and his contributions are not only related to this area but to vibrations, elasticity theory, heat transfer, crystallography…
His first achievement was the construction of a wind tunnel for the Zeppelin company at Göttingen. In 1911, using the results from this project he made an analysis of the alternating double row of vortices behind a flat body in a fluid flow that is now known as Kármán’s Vortex Street.
Although he was originally from Hungary and obtained his doctorate working with Prandtl, he developed nearly all his long career in the USA, where he started the research on a turbulence theory and a study of the supersonic flight applying mathematics to engineering.  He turned towards rocket engines when the American government realized Germany had developed them for military purposes during WWII. After the war, his projects became great contributions to the space program.
Kármán was not only a scientist but an engineering mind, a business man (he started his own company, Aerojet) and later, when his working lifetime was consolidated, a pioneer in consulting. His personality and relationships with high ranking military and political figures in two continents made him a voice to listen at times of taking relevant decisions. 
Finally, he resigned his director positions and dedicated himself to one of his passions: teaching. His lessons are legendary and his mathematical skills spectacular, so it is said that when solving complicated passages with agility the entire class held his breath and applauded. Many former students constituted the so-called Kármán’s Circle (including Lachmann, Malina, Wattendorf, Summerfield).
Von Kármán was essential in founding institutions which carry on his legacy, his spirit of broadcasting and applying knowledge and his deep love for aero and astronautics. Among them, one could name the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the Von Kármán Institute in Bruxelles.

Abstract document

IAC-07-E4.2.04.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-E4.2.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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