Friedrich Paschen

(Louis Carl Heinrich) Friedrich Paschen ( born January 22, 1865 in Schwerin, † February 25, 1947 in Potsdam ) was a German physicist who together with Ernst discovered back in 1921 the Paschen - Back effect. From 1924 to 1933 he was President of the Physical- Technical Institute in Berlin.

Life

Friedrich Paschen was the son of a Prussian Major Johann Friedrich Paschen (1833-1900) and his wife, the landlords daughter Emma Bencard (1845; † after 1930), was born. He studied from 1884 to 1888 at the Universities of Berlin and Strasbourg, where he completed his doctorate in 1888. Subsequently, he was employed as an assistant to Johann Wilhelm Hittorf at the former Academy in Münster and as a lecturer at the Technical University of Hanover. In 1901 he became a full professor at the University of Tübingen. Already in his dissertation Paschen had named after him law can put on gas discharges and decisively contributed to the experimental confirmation of the radiation law of Max Planck.

Under his leadership, Tübingen became a center of spectroscopic research. The study of the spectral lines and their standard step development provided the basis for the insight into the intra- atomic events. He led by wavelength measurements of the spectral lines of hydrogen and helium and discovered in 1912 with Ernst Back named after them occurring in strong magnetic fields Paschen - Back effect. Paschen designed and built galvanometer and quadrant electrometer. Among his academic students from Tübingen time is the later a professor at the University of Frankfurt, Karl Wilhelm Meissner. In 1922 he became a corresponding member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.

From 1924 was Friedrich Paschen President of Werner von Siemens and Hermann von Helmholtz launched Physico- Technical Institute, now the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, whose task is to " design scientific investigations of physical nature, which require a greater effort than usually after can be procured by private individuals and by laboratories of higher educational establishments; Testing and protection of the properties of materials, which are made of apparatus and measuring means; Audit and assurance of uniformity and normality of design tools and structural parts; Testing and certification of physical measuring tools and parts thereof, as used in the broadest scope for the aforementioned purposes " was.

After Paschen had finished the joy of celebration of the Nazi seizure of power in the Imperial Institute by obtaining the swastika flag on March 8, 1933 on May 1, 1933 used against the advice of all trade representatives, the National Socialist and Nobel laureate Johannes Stark in the presidency.

Friedrich Paschen taught until his death as an honorary professor at the Berlin University. He died on 25 February 1947 in Potsdam.

Paschen's grave is located on the southwest Stahnsdorf, block Charlottenburg.

His assistant from 1920 to 1924 ( and son ) was Hermann students.

Family

He married in 1901 Margaret (Mary ) Lean ( 1869-1942 ). Their daughter Emma Henriette (1897-1975) was later with Professor Hermann students (1894-1964) married. His grandfather was the surveyor and astronomer Friedrich Paschen, his uncle the Admiral Karl Paschen.