Bernard Vonnegut papers,
- Author:
- Vonnegut, Bernard.
- Call Number:
- MSS UA-902.068 local
- Abstract:
- The papers document Dr. Bernard Vonnegut's professional career as an atmospheric scientist from the mid-1940s at M.I.T. and the GE Research Laboratories, 1945-1952, at Arthur D. Little Corporation, 1952-1967, and at SUNY Albany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center and Department of Atmospheric Sciences from 1967 through his death in 1997. The records in this collection document Vonnegut's research interests, including icing and atmospheric electricity, cloud physics, and tornado formation. The papers also contain extensive information about his major scientific discoveries and experiments, such as Project Cirrus, a program that sought ways to artificially influence precipitation. The collection is arranged into seven series. The records consist of scientific manuscripts, scientific research and data, patent forms, reports, correspondence, publicity materials, course materials, news clippings, photographs, cartoons, and audio and video. The majority of materials date from Vonnegut's tenure at GE and SUNY Albany. Currently, only series 1, Project Cirrus, is processed.
- Historical Note:
- Atmospheric scientist Dr. Bernard Vonnegut was born in 1914 in Indianapolis. He was the older brother of American novelist, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and his research inspired elements of Kurt Vonnegut's science fiction work such as the Ice-9 catalyst in Cat's Cradle. Dr. Bernard Vonnegut earned his bachelor's degree in Chemistry in 1936 and doctorate in Physical Chemistry in 1939 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). He worked at M.I.T. before joining General Electric Company (GE) in 1945, where he conducted his most notable series of experiments, Project Cirrus. GE undertook the Project Cirrus weather modification program in conjunction with the United States Signal Corps, Office of Naval Research, and the United States Air Force, with general oversight handled by the Department of Defense. The objective of the program was to discern ways to artificially influence precipitation. Vonnegut's discovery of AgI, Silver Iodide, as a superior nucleation agent significantly influenced the science of artificial precipitation, since this method came to be adopted as the chief method of "rain making". The discovery that a Silver Iodide smoke could be emitted from ground level to stimulate precipitation further increased the value of this method. Throughout his career, Vonnegut accumulated multiple patents for inventions and research techniques. He left GE after the conclusion of Project Cirrus for a position with the management consultancy Arthur D. Little Corporation in 1952 where he continued research in atmospheric science. In 1967 he joined the newly formed Atmospheric Science Research Center at the State University of New York, Albany where he taught atmospheric science, including cloud physics, until his formal retirement in 1985. He continued his research at the university and to publish until his death in 1997.
- Physical Description:
- 50 cu. ft
- Access Terms:
- Processed portions of the collection are available for unrestricted access.
- Notes:
- Part of the University Archives. local
- Subjects:
- Atmospheric physics, Cloud physics, Precipitation (Meteorology), Weather control, Rain-making, Tornadoes Research United States, Atmospheric physics, Cloud physics, Precipitation (Meteorology), Rain-making, Tornadoes Research, and Weather control
- Genres/Forms:
- Photographs. aat, Correspondence. aat, Manuscripts (document genre) aat, Notes. aat, Clippings (information artifacts) aat, Sound recordings. aat, Video recordings. aat, Patents. aat, Technical reports. aat, and Cartoons (humorous images) aat
- Names:
- Vonnegut, Bernard, Langmuir, Irving, 1881-1957, Schaefer, Vincent J, Langmuir, Irving, 1881-1957, Schaefer, Vincent J, and Vonnegut, Bernard
- Corporate Names:
- General Electric Company. Research and Development Center, Arthur D. Little, Inc, State University of New York. Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, Arthur D. Little, Inc, General Electric Company. Research and Development Center, and State University of New York. Atmospheric Sciences Research Center
- Geographic Terms:
- United States
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