Karl-Otto Kiepenheuer
Encyclopedia
Karl-Otto Kiepenheuer was a German
astronomer
and astrophysicist. His research focused on the Sun
, and for that purpose he initiated construction of several solar telescope
s and founded the Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics
.
, Germany, as a son of the publisher Gustav Kiepenheuer. After the divorce of his parents in 1923 he stayed with his mother. In 1929, he began his studies of physics, astronomy and mathematics at the Berlin Institute of Technology and the University of Berlin. He spent one semester in Paris where he visited the Meudon observatory
. He later worked at the Göttingen Observatory
where he tried to develop a method to measure the UV radiation of the Sun. After an unsuccessful attempt at Jungfraujoch
, he realized that the elevation of 3,454 meters was insufficient for this measurement. The balloon-borne instruments of Erich Regener
proved to be more useful and Regener was able to measure the UV radiation of the Sun at a height of more than 30 km. Kiepenheuer also improved aerial cameras and tested them during World War II
in high-altitude flights over the United Kingdom
. Until the end of the war, Kiepenheuer worked under the supervision of Johannes Plendl
. The effect of solar activity on shortwave
communication stimulated the observations of the Sun. For this purpose, Kiepenheuer built a network of solar observatories and also used the already existing observatories in the occupied areas of Europe. By 1942, this network spanned from Simeiz
in the Crimea
in the east to Paris
in the west, and from Tromsö, Norway
in the north to Syracuse, Sicily in the south. After the war, Kiepenheuer benefited from his close connections with researchers all over Europe and managed to slowly establish a scientific network for solar observations.
Together with the solar telescopes at the Schauinsland
, Kiepenheuer established the Fraunhofer Institute
near Freiburg
in 1943. He was able to keep the solar telescopes in Schauinsland after the Second World War. In 1954, he opened a new solar telescope on the Italian
island of Capri
. The Fraunhofer Institute was named after the physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer
and had no connection to the later institutes of the Fraunhofer Society
, which were independently named after the same person. Kiepenheuer served as the head of his Institute until his death in 1975. He helped to establish collaboration between several European countries in building a European solar observatory. He was also active in the development of new telescopes. After his death, a new telescope
was built on the Spanish
island of Tenerife
, and therefore, the outdated observatory at Capri was closed in 1988.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and astrophysicist. His research focused on the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, and for that purpose he initiated construction of several solar telescope
Solar telescope
A solar telescope is a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun. Solar telescopes usually detect light with wavelengths in, or not far outside, the visible spectrum.-Professional solar telescopes:...
s and founded the Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics
Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics
The Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics is a research institute located in Freiburg, Germany. Its research focuses on the exploration of the Sun and heliosphere...
.
Life and work
Kiepenheuer was born in 1910 in WeimarWeimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Germany, as a son of the publisher Gustav Kiepenheuer. After the divorce of his parents in 1923 he stayed with his mother. In 1929, he began his studies of physics, astronomy and mathematics at the Berlin Institute of Technology and the University of Berlin. He spent one semester in Paris where he visited the Meudon observatory
Paris Observatory
The Paris Observatory is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centres in the world...
. He later worked at the Göttingen Observatory
Göttingen Observatory
Göttingen Observatory is a German astronomical observatory located in Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany.-History:...
where he tried to develop a method to measure the UV radiation of the Sun. After an unsuccessful attempt at Jungfraujoch
Jungfraujoch
The Jungfraujoch is a col or saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, inside the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area....
, he realized that the elevation of 3,454 meters was insufficient for this measurement. The balloon-borne instruments of Erich Regener
Erich Regener
Erich Rudolf Alexander Regener was a German physicist known primarily for the design and construction of instruments to measure cosmic ray intensity at various altitudes....
proved to be more useful and Regener was able to measure the UV radiation of the Sun at a height of more than 30 km. Kiepenheuer also improved aerial cameras and tested them during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in high-altitude flights over the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Until the end of the war, Kiepenheuer worked under the supervision of Johannes Plendl
Johannes Plendl
Johannes "Hans" Plendl , German radar pioneer, was the scientist whose radio navigation techniques made possible the early German bombing successes in World War II.-Biography:...
. The effect of solar activity on shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
communication stimulated the observations of the Sun. For this purpose, Kiepenheuer built a network of solar observatories and also used the already existing observatories in the occupied areas of Europe. By 1942, this network spanned from Simeiz
Simeiz Observatory
Simeiz Observatory was an astronomy research observatory until the mid 1950s. It is located on Mount Koshka, Crimea, Ukraine by the town of Simeiz....
in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
in the east to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the west, and from Tromsö, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in the north to Syracuse, Sicily in the south. After the war, Kiepenheuer benefited from his close connections with researchers all over Europe and managed to slowly establish a scientific network for solar observations.
Together with the solar telescopes at the Schauinsland
Schauinsland
The Schauinsland , is a mountain in the Black Forest with an elevation of 1,284 m above sea level....
, Kiepenheuer established the Fraunhofer Institute
Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics
The Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics is a research institute located in Freiburg, Germany. Its research focuses on the exploration of the Sun and heliosphere...
near Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
in 1943. He was able to keep the solar telescopes in Schauinsland after the Second World War. In 1954, he opened a new solar telescope on the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
island of Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
. The Fraunhofer Institute was named after the physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer
Joseph von Fraunhofer
Joseph von Fraunhofer was a German optician. He is known for the discovery of the dark absorption lines known as Fraunhofer lines in the Sun's spectrum, and for making excellent optical glass and achromatic telescope objectives.-Biography:Fraunhofer was born in Straubing, Bavaria...
and had no connection to the later institutes of the Fraunhofer Society
Fraunhofer Society
The Fraunhofer Society is a German research organization with 60 institutes spread throughout Germany, each focusing on different fields of applied science . It employs around 18,000, mainly scientists and engineers, with an annual research budget of about €1.65 billion...
, which were independently named after the same person. Kiepenheuer served as the head of his Institute until his death in 1975. He helped to establish collaboration between several European countries in building a European solar observatory. He was also active in the development of new telescopes. After his death, a new telescope
Teide Observatory
The Observatorio del Teide is an astronomical observatory on Tenerife operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Opened in 1964, it became one of the first major international observatories, attracting telescopes from different countries around the world because of the good astronomical...
was built on the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
island of Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, and therefore, the outdated observatory at Capri was closed in 1988.