International Aeronautical Conference at Berlin
The International Aeronautical Conference at Berlin was the third meeting of the International Commission for Scientific Aeronautics, taking place in Berlin, 20—25 May 1902. Abbott Lawrence Rotch (U.S.) in his report distinguishes between the Committee, which made administrative decisions in private, and the general group of attendees who participated in scientific discussions. The Committee included himself, Hergesell, Assmann, Berson, Rykatchef, Kowanko, Cailletet, and Teisserenc de Bort, with fifteen new members appointed, including representatives from the governments of Italy, Spain, and Britain.[1]
Col. Rykatchef of the Central Physical Observatory at St. Petersburg reported on five years of kite and balloon experiments measuring conditions up to 3000 meters. Teisserenc de Bort reported on altitudes of 10 to 15 kilometers and suggested the existence of an 8–10km stratum of isothermal or increasing temperatures. Dr. Assmann of the Prussian Meteorological Institute concurred with this observation.[1]
Dr. Assmann also described ballons sondes which expand and rise with increasing velocity, then burst, then release parachutes to moderate their fall and protect the instruments they carry. "A balloon formed by dipping a mold into a solution of india-rubber, was expanded to 68 times its original volume before it burst, which indicated that it would rise to an altitude of about 38 kilometers".[1]
Prof. Rotch invited his German colleagues to collaborate on his planned steamship expedition to the equator.[1]
Attendees were greeted by Prince Frederick Henry of Prussia in lieu of the Kaiser. They saw a demonstration of the Prussian Balloon Battalion and enjoyed generous hospitality. "It is evident, therefore, that the organizers of the Congress succeeded in pleasing their guests and in giving the foreign military officers, who represented the chief European powers excepting France, an idea of the high efficiency of military ballooning in Germany."[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Abbott Lawrence Rotch, "The International Aeronautical Congress", Science Vol. XVI, No. 399.
| Event names | International Aeronautical Conference at Berlin, Third Meeting of the International Commission for Scientific Aeronautics |
|---|---|
| Event type | conference |
| Country | DE |
| Locations | Berlin |
| Start date | 1902-05-20 |
| Number of days | 6 |
| Tech focus | Meteo, LTA, Kite, Instrument, Military, Ballon-sonde |
| Participants | Mikhail Aleksandrovich Rykatcheff, Abbott Lawrence Rotch, Richard Aßmann, Léon Teisserenc de Bort, Hugo Hergesell, Arthur Berson, Alexandre de Kowanko, Louis Paul Cailletet |
