Vonnegut, Bernard

Hide Profile

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.

From the description of Bernard Vonnegut papers, 1936-1997. (University at Albany). WorldCat record id: 551177881

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Vonnegut, Bernard. Bernard Vonnegut papers, 1936-1997. University at Albany, University Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Arthur D. Little, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith General Electric Company. Research and Development Center. corporateBody
associatedWith Langmuir, Irving, 1881-1957. person
associatedWith Schaefer, Vincent J. person
associatedWith State University of New York. Atmospheric Sciences Research Center. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Atmospheric physics
Cloud physics
Precipitation (Meteorology)
Rain-making
Tornadoes
Weather control
Occupation
Activity

Person

Active 1936

Active 1997

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6q84mrx

Ark ID: w6q84mrx

SNAC ID: 28828847