Background
Robert Emden was born on March 4, 1862 in Gallen, Switzerland, the eldest of three children of Moritz Philipp Emden and Emma Gerstle.
University of Strasbourg, 4 Rue Blaise Pascal, 67081 Strasbourg, France
Emden studied mathematics and physics in Heidelberg and Berlin and completed his Bachelor of Science in physics in 1885, and his Ph.D. in Physics in 1887 at the University of Strasbourg, France, where he was a student of the physicist August Kundl. His thesis was on the vapour pressure of salt solutions.
1920
The Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Alfons-Goppel-Straße 11, 80539 München, Germany
In 1920 Emden became a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
University of Strasbourg, 4 Rue Blaise Pascal, 67081 Strasbourg, France
Emden studied mathematics and physics in Heidelberg and Berlin and completed his Bachelor of Science in physics in 1885, and his Ph.D. in Physics in 1887 at the University of Strasbourg, France, where he was a student of the physicist August Kundl. His thesis was on the vapour pressure of salt solutions.
This crater on the Moon is named after Emden.
astrophysicist meteorologist scientist
Robert Emden was born on March 4, 1862 in Gallen, Switzerland, the eldest of three children of Moritz Philipp Emden and Emma Gerstle.
Emden studied mathematics and physics in Heidelberg and Berlin and completed his Bachelor of Science in physics in 1885, and his Ph.D. in Physics in 1887 at the University of Strasbourg, France, where he was a student of the physicist August Kundt. His thesis was on the vapour pressure of salt solutions.
In 1907 Robert Emden became an assistant professor (extraordinarius) of physics and meteorology at the Technische Hochschule in Munich. He held that position until 1928, when he became an assistant professor for astrophysics at the University of Munich. He was later entrusted with writing the article on the thermodynamics of celestial bodies in the Enzyklopädie der mathematischen Wissenschaften.
In further works he dealt with astronomical refraction, the thermodynamics of the atmosphere, and propagation of sound in the atmosphere. In addition, he contributed significantly to the development of the theory of balloon flight with his book on the principles of balloon navigation (1910).
From 1916 on, formal difficulties kept him from obtaining German citizenship. Consequently, he at least avoided financial losses upon his dismissal when the Nazis came into power in 1933. He died in Zurich, in his native Switzerland, on October 8, 1940. His final paper on the temperature problems of lakes was in the press at the time of his death.
In 1920 Emden became a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.
Emden was married to Klara Schwarzschild, the sister of German physicist and astronomer Karl Schwarzschild. They had six children of whom the names of five are known. Although he married into a strongly scientific family, Emden's children are not noted for any contributions to science.