Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-

Variant names

Hide Profile

Burgers (1895-1981). Physicist (fluid dynamics, theory of turbulence, viscosity of suspensions). Major affiliations Include: Technische Hogeschool te Delft, Delft, Netherlands, 1918-1955; and University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 1955-1965.

From the description of Papers, ca. 1912-1980. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122336093

Physicist (fluid dynamics, theory of turbulence, viscosity of suspensions). Major affiliations include: technische Hodeschool te Delft, Delft, Netherlands, 1918-1975; and University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 1975-. He died in 1981.

From the description of Papers. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81865290

Burgers was an author and professor of fluid dynamics at the University of Maryland College Park.

He was a leading authority on fluid dynamics and worked extensively on the theory of turbulence, exploring what is now known as the Burgers equation. He also wrote fundamental papers on the intrinsic viscosity of suspensions.

From the description of Papers of Johannes Martinus Burgers, 1912-1980. (University of Maryland Libraries). WorldCat record id: 17655766

Johannes Martinus Burgers was born in Arnhem (Netherlands) on January 13, 1895, the eldest son of Joanna Hendrika Romijn and Johannes Martinus Burgers. Both Johannes and his younger brother, Wilhelm (who later became a professor at the Technical University of Delft), attended primary and secondary school in Arnhem. Johannes completed his secondary schooling in 1912 and for the next two years took supplementary courses in Latin and Greek, while continuing his studies in higher mathematics and aspects of theoretical physics. He attended the University of Leiden from 1914 until 1917, passing his "candidates examen" in 1915 and his "doctoral examen" in 1917. Burgers became a Doctor of Mathematical and Physical Sciences in 1918; his thesis was "Het Atoommodel van Rugherford-Bohr" (The Model of the Atom according to Rutherford and Bohr).

Burgers' first position was Conservator at the Physical Laboratory of Teyler's Foundation (Teyler's Stichting) in Haarlem. From September 1918 until October 1955, Dr. Burgers was professor of Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics at the Technical University of Delft. He was also secretary of the Department of Mechanical Enfineering and Shipbuilding from 1921 to 1924 and its chairman from 1929 until 1931. In this position, Burgers became acquainted with Theodore von Karman, L. Prandt, R. von Mises, G.I. Taylor and W.F. Durand, as well as maintaining contact with the most influential individual of his university career, Paul Ehrenfest. It was during this period at Delft that he became a leading authority on fluid dynamics. He worked extensively on the theory of turbulence and explored what is now known as the Burgers equation. He also wrote fundamental papers on the intrinsic viscosity of suspensions.

Resigning in 1955, Burgers and his wife, Anna, immigrated to the United States and settled in Maryland. Johannes had accepted the position of research professor at the Institute for Physical Dynamics and Applied Mathematics (now the institute for Physical Science and Technology) at the University of Maryland's College Park Campus. Burgers continued his interest in fluid dynamics while at the University, and was recognized for his studies in gas dynamics, plasma physics, shock waves, and related phenomena. Still active in his field, Burgers retired from the University of Maryland in 1965.

A member of more than twenty scientific societies, author of numerous articles and reviews, and recipient of two honorary degrees from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles (1948) and the Universite de Poitiers (1950), Burgers also received the Modesto Panetti Medal and Prize from the Accademia delle Scienze di Turino in 1961.

After his retirement, Burgers continued to maintain his considerable correspondence, attended scientific conferences and congresses and wrote two texts, Experience and Conceptual Activity and Flow Equations for Composite Gases. Deeply interested in philosophical ideas as well as scientific ones, he studied such fundamental issues as the influence of science upon society, the structure of the universe, and the origin and proper description of life. Johannes Burgers died in 1981 at the age of eighty-six, well-recognized in his field both as an author and professor. The Burgers Program for Fluid Dynamics, which is supported by faculty from the College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences and the A.J. Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, was created to provide an environment and precedence for knowledge exchange and networking within the fluid dynamics community on the University of Maryland campus. This program maintains a close collaboration with the J.M. Burgers Centre in The Netherlands.

From the guide to the Johannes Martinus Burgers papers, 1912-1980, 1912-1980, (University of Maryland)

Burgers, Johannes Martinus (Jan) (1895-1981). Studeerde in Leiden wis- en natuurkunde; hoogleraar aan de Technische Hogeschool in Delft; werd lid van de CPN, waarvoor hij in 1933 bedankte; bezocht in 1929 en 1936 de Sovjetunie, waar hij colleges gaf; vanaf 1955 hoogleraar in de Verenigde Staten van Amerika.

From the description of Archief 1929-1981. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79620426

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Jordan, Pascual, 1902-1980. Oral history interview with Ernst Pascual Jordan, 1963 June 17 to 20. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn History of physics manuscript biography collection A-C, 1901-1989, [ca. 1960]-1989 (bulk). New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Struik, Dirk J. (Dirk Jan), 1894-2000. Autobiography, chapter V:Leiden science, 1973. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Autobiographical notes, 1962. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Papers, ca. 1912-1980. American Institute of Physics
creatorOf Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Papers of Johannes Martinus Burgers, 1912-1980. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
referencedIn Theodore von Kármán papers, 1871-1963 California Institute of Technology. Archives.
referencedIn Rubinowicz, Wojciech. Oral history interview with Wojciech Rubinowicz, 1963 May 18. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Chapman, Sydney, 1888-1970. Festschrift material [microform], 1968. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902-. Oral history interview with P. A. M. Dirac, 1962 April 1 to 14 May 1963. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Archive for the History of Quantum Physics, 1898-1950 (bulk), 1898-1950 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Ehrenfest, Paul, 1880-1933. Papers, 1902-1933. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Burgers, Johannes Martinus. Archief 1929-1981.
creatorOf Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Papers of Johannes Martinus Burgers, 1912-1980. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
creatorOf Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Papers. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Burgers, J. M. (Johannes Martinus), 1895-. Papers of Johannes Martinus Burgers, 1912-1980. University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abraham, Max, 1875-1922 person
associatedWith Amaldi, Edoardo, 1908-1989 person
associatedWith American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith American Physical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith American Physical Society and American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Andrade, E. N. da C., (Edward Neville da Costa), 1887-1971 person
associatedWith Back, Ernst, 1881-1959 person
associatedWith Bauer, Edmond, 1880-1963 person
associatedWith Becquerel, Jean, 1878-1953 person
associatedWith Benedicks, Carl Axel Fredrik, 1875-1953 person
associatedWith Berliner, Arnold, 1862-1942 person
associatedWith Betz, Albert, 1885- person
associatedWith Biot, Maurice A. (Maurice Anthony), 1905- person
associatedWith Birge, Raymond T., (Raymond Thayer), 1887-1980 person
associatedWith Blumenthal, Otto, 1876-1944. person
associatedWith Bohr, Niels Henrik David, 1885-1962 person
associatedWith Born, Max, 1882-1970 person
associatedWith Breit, Gregory, 1899-1981 person
associatedWith Broglie, Louis de, 1892-1987 person
associatedWith Burgers, J. M. person
associatedWith Burgers, Johannes Martinus person
associatedWith Busemann, Adolf, 1901- person
associatedWith Chapman, Sydney, 1888-1970. person
associatedWith Christiaan Huygens (Association) corporateBody
associatedWith Cockcroft, John, Sir, 1897-1967 person
associatedWith Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962 person
associatedWith Coster, Dirk, 1887-1956. person
associatedWith Coster, Dirk, 1889-1950 person
associatedWith Darwin, Charles Galton, Sir, 1887-1962 person
associatedWith Debye, Peter J. W., (Peter Josef William), 1884-1966 person
associatedWith Dieke, Gerhard Heinrich, 1901-1965 person
associatedWith Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902- person
associatedWith Durand, William Frederick, 1859-1958. person
associatedWith Eddington, Arthur Stanley, Sir, 1882-1944 person
associatedWith Ehrenfest, Paul person
associatedWith Ehrenfest, Paul, 1880-1933. person
associatedWith Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955 person
associatedWith Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954 person
associatedWith Fokker, A. D., (Adriaan Daniel), 1887-1972 person
associatedWith Fowler, A., (Alfred), 1868-1940 person
associatedWith Franck, James, 1882-1964 person
associatedWith Gerlach, Walther, 1889-1979 person
associatedWith Goudsmit, Samuel Abraham, 1902-1978 person
associatedWith Haber, Fritz, 1868-1934 person
associatedWith Heisenberg, Werner, 1901-1976 person
associatedWith Hilbert, David, 1862-1943 person
associatedWith Hopf, Ludwig, 1884- person
associatedWith Joliot-Curie, Frédéric person
associatedWith Jordan, Pascual, 1902-1980. person
associatedWith Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike, 1853-1926. person
associatedWith Kapitsa, P. L., (Petr Leonidovich), 1894-1984 person
associatedWith Kayser, H., (Heinrich), 1853-1940 person
associatedWith Kemble, Edwin C., (Edwin Crawford), 1889-1984 person
associatedWith Klein, Oskar, 1894-1977 person
associatedWith Kramers, Hendrik Anthony, 1894-1952. person
associatedWith Ladenburg, Rudolf Walter, 1882-1952 person
associatedWith Langevin, Paul, 1872-1946 person
associatedWith Laue, Max von, 1879-1960 person
associatedWith London, Fritz, 1900-1954 person
associatedWith McLennan, J. C., (John Cunningham), 1867-1935 person
associatedWith Meitner, Lise, 1878-1968 person
associatedWith Mie, Gustav, 1868-1957 person
associatedWith Millikan, Robert Andrews, 1868-1953 person
associatedWith Mulliken, Robert Sanderson, 1896-1986 person
associatedWith Niels Bohr Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Nishina, Yoshio, 1890-1951 person
associatedWith Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967 person
associatedWith Paschen, F., (Friedrich), 1865-1947 person
associatedWith Pauling, Linus, 1901-1994 person
associatedWith Pauli, Wolfgang, 1900-1958 person
associatedWith Planck, Max, 1858-1947 person
associatedWith Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. corporateBody
associatedWith Rosenfeld, L., (Leon), 1904-1974 person
associatedWith Rosseland, Svein, 1894-1985 person
associatedWith Rubens, Heinrich, 1865-1922 person
associatedWith Rubinowicz, Wojciech. person
associatedWith Runge, Carl, 1856-1927 person
associatedWith Rutherford, Ernest, 1871-1937 person
associatedWith Scheel, Karl, 1866-1936 person
associatedWith Schrödinger, Erwin, 1887-1961 person
associatedWith Sommerfeld, Arnold, 1868-1951 person
associatedWith Stark, Johannes, 1874-1957 person
associatedWith Struik, Dirk J. (Dirk Jan), 1894-2000. person
associatedWith Taylor, Geoffrey Ingram person
associatedWith Taylor, Geoffrey Ingram, Sir, 1886- person
associatedWith Technische Hogeschool Delft corporateBody
associatedWith Thomson, J. J., Sir, (Joseph John), 1856-1940 person
associatedWith Uhlenbeck, George Eugène, 1900-1988 person
associatedWith University of Maryland at College Park. Institute for Physical Science and Technology. corporateBody
associatedWith Van Vleck, J. H., (John Hasbrouck), 1899-1980 person
associatedWith Voigt, Woldemar, 1850-1919 person
associatedWith Von Kármán, Theodore person
associatedWith Von Kármán, Theodore, 1881-1963. person
associatedWith Von Mises, Richard person
associatedWith Von Mises, Richard, 1883-1953. person
associatedWith Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957 person
associatedWith Warburg, Emil Gabriel, 1846-1931 person
associatedWith Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002 person
associatedWith Zeeman, Pieter, 1865-1943 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States--Maryland
Netherlands
Subject
Aerodynamics
Brain drain
Burgers equation
Fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics
Fluids (Physics)
Hydrodynamics
Physicists
Physicists
Physics
Physics
Research institutes
Shock waves (Fluid dynamics)
Solid state physics
Occupation
Physicists
Activity

Person

Birth 1895

Birth 1895-01-13

Death 1981-06-07

Active 1929

Active 1981

Americans

German,

Spanish; Castilian,

French,

Italian,

English,

Dutch; Flemish,

Multiple languages,

Russian

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sv8gvm

Ark ID: w6sv8gvm

SNAC ID: 88023899