ACOUSTICAL NEWS FROM ABROAD

Walter G. Mayer Physics Dept., Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057

Konrad H. Tamm ß 1913-1986

Shortly before his 73rd birthday, Konrad Tamm passed away in Hei- delberg on 13 January 1986 after a long and serious illness. He was a distin- guished experimentalist. Physical acoustics was not only the most impor- tant area of his work but also the topic he enjoyed the most. It was his research which gave us the fundamental knowledge of the molecular causes of sound absorption in electrolytes. It was he who conducted the first experi- ments on the geometric causes of dispersion and attenbation of ultrasound in spatially bounded media. A large number of ultrasonic measuring tech- niques were developed by him. He also contributed greatly to the develop- ment of absorbers for airborne and underwater sound.

Konrad Tamm was born in Berlin on 21 January 1913. After he had finished high school in 1931 and had been employed by Siemens & Halske AG in Berlin, he enrolled at the Technical University in Berlin-Charlotten- burg where he graduated, in 1936, with a Diplomingenieur degree in Elec- trical Engineering. Being thoroughly familiar with the then existing knowl- edge in the areas of electronics and high-frequency engineering, Konrad Tamm joined, early in 1937, the Acoustics Section of the Heinrich Hertz Institute of Oscillation Research of the Berlin Technical University. This Acoustics Section had been founded by Karl Willy Wagner in 1929 and since that time had been under the direction of Erwin Meyer, who had already begun to make systematic use of the possibilities offered by electri- cal measurement techniques in acoustic research. Konrad Tamm had not been involved in acoustics at that time but he had the remarkable ability to quickly understand essentials. He started with measurements related to ultrasonic flaw detection in concrete. This was followed by "Characteristic Oscillations and Damping of Gas Bubbles in Liquids" (1939) and "One and Two-dimensional Propagation of Water-borne Sound in Pipes and Shallow Basins" (1940). This was also the topic of his doctoral dissertation. Underwater sound experiments were of great interest during World War II. The results in the area of low-frequency underwater sound which were obtained at that time are summarized in the book Sound •4bsorption and Sound Absorbers in Water (published in Washington, DC, 1947), authored by W. Kuhl, E. Meyer, H. Oberst, E. Skudrzyk, and K. Tamm.

Konrad Tamm went to G6ttingen with Erwin Meyer when he, in 1947, accepted an offer to join the III. Physikalische Institut of the University. Here Konrad Tamm started a long series of experiments to systematically examine sound absorption in water and electrolytes. It was important to cover as wide a frequency spectrum as possible. Until 1951, Tamm did all measurements himself in the particularly difficult frequency range between 5 kHz and 1 MHz. Glinther Kurtze cooperated closely with him during measurements in the frequency range above 1 MHz. It soon became appar- ent that increased ultrasonic absorption in water-based electrolyte solutions is caused by relaxation processes. The nature of the phenomena was found to be such that one could use• these absorption measurements to gain infor- mation about tltle sequence of events in fast chemical reactions. These fast chemical reactions are processes which are of great interest in the field of physical chemistry.

It was the work of Kurtze and Tamm which led Manfred Eigen, a physical chemist at G6ttingen, to do research in the area of fast reactions• for which he received the 1967 Nobel Prize. The long and productive coop- eration with Eigen started with the first join publication in 1953 and lasted until 1962, at which time Tamm had already accepted the offer to chair the newly created Department of Physics of Oscillations and Electronics at the University of Heidelberg. He declined two additional offers from Aachen and Cologne.

Konrad Tamm was active in research and teaching in Heidelberg from 1961 until 1981. Many physics students who did experiments or attended lectures in his institute during these years acquired their fundamental knowledge of modern electronics, microwave technology, and acoustics from him. His fine sense of humor, his kindness, his modesty, his under-

standing but also his scientific accomplishments created that particular pleasant atomsphere in the institute which will be fondly remembered by colleagues, co-workers, and students.

OLAF WEIS

Universit•it Ulm

7900 Ulm

Federal Republic of Germany

The Twelfth International Congress on AcousticsToronto, Canada, July 1986

Acousticians from around the world traveled to Toronto to participate in the 12th ICA, held over the period 24-31 July 1986. The conference sessions were held in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, a relatively new building with excellent facilities for the occasion. This venue was situat- ed close to many large hotels, for the convenience of delegates, and was also within walking distance of major attractions.

The opening ceremony took place in another modern but appropriate venue, the Roy Thomson Hall, world-famous for its acoustical design. Opening remarks were followed by a short speech from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, who sang the praises of Canada, Toronto, and his home town. This was followed by contributions from the Chairmen of both the Congress (Dr. E. A. G. Shaw) and the Commission on Acoustics (Pro- fessor H. Myncke), the latter speaking in three consecutive languages. No translations were necessary as, in common with the rest of the Congress, the majority of communications were undertaken in English. The ceremonies concluded with a concert performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, during which delegates were invited to wander around the Hall to sample its acoustical properties.

The technical content commenced at 13.30 on the opening day with the first of a series of plenary lectures by invited speakers, coveting such diverse areas as ocean acoustics, ultrasonics, room acoustics, etc. Technical ses- sions proper commenced following a 10-min break, during which coffee was obtainable on a cash basis.

Despite the lack of caffeine, delegates were able to find their way to the session of their choice using the program provided. The Technical Commit- tee (T.F.W. Embleton, Chairman) deserves praise for this document, which was clear, concise, and easy to use. It contained all abstracts, times, and locations, together with other relevant information on social events, tours, etc. Delegates were also led to the correct location by a series of signs, updated each day.

The sessions were split up into subject groups, and each given an identi- fying letter (A-L). In each, a non-Canadian chairman was assisted by a Canadian cochairman, the latter being present to ensure the smooth run- ning of the session. As has become traditional, a series of signals (shrill beeps in this case) were used in an attempt to coordinate sessions. This was later abandoned in favor of individual timing units in each room. At any one time, there were usually six parallel sessions, and there seemed to be no problem in moving between rooms. Most speakers appeared to keep to schedule. In addition to contributed papers, structured sessions were orga- nized on specialized topics. These seemed well attended and were a worth- while addition to the program.

196 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 81 (1), Jan. 1987 0001-4966/87/01196-02500.80 ¸ 1987 Acoustical Society of America 196

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Morning sessions usually started at 8:40, with a typical duration in excess of 3 h. There were no coffee breaks scheduled in the program and some stamina was required if all the talks in a given session were attended in sequence. Lunch generally lasted for 1« h, with a plenary session being fitted in before the afternoon session of about 2-h duration.

After the first afternoon of technical matters, delegates made their way to Toronto City Hall for a welcoming cocktail reception. There was plenty to drink, but large queues necessitated a technique of obtaining two drinks with one visit to the bar. This technique was also useful at a reception held the following week (29 July) in the magnificent Royal York Hotel, as a prelude to the ICA banquet. At $40. (Canadian) per person, this function was surprisingly well attended. The lack of wine glasses at the tables caused suspicions that were later confirmedmwine was extra. The after-dinner entertainment was pre-empted by the arrival of popcorn, indicating that movies were to be presented. These were about Canada and Canadians and, while many guests seemed to enjoy this event, several locals seemed visibly bored.

A pleasant addition to the Congress was "music at midday," a series of recitals and concerts to which all participants were invited. Other social tous were popular, but not cheap. Predictably, many delegates took the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls over the weekend break.

It may be stated with some confidence that the 12th ICA was a success, with the local Canadian organization leaving the impression of a very com- petent and smoothly run operation. In particular, the combination of plen- ary, structured, and contributed technical sessions meant that there was always something of interest to a given delegate.

A final comment should be made concerning the three associated sym- posia and the four other meetings coordinated with the ICA. These seemed to be well attended and successful in their own right, and the total package of the 12th ICA plus these other meetings was a valuable contribution to the dissemination of acoustical research.

DAVID A. HUTCHINS

Queen's University Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada

13th ICA to be held in Belgrade--August 1989 It was announced during the 12th International Congress on Acoustics

in Toronto that the next ICA will be held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 24-31 August 1989. The event will be organized by the Yugoslav Committee for Electronics and Automation (ETAN) and the Acoustical Society of Yu- goslavia.

The program of the Congress will be structured in the traditional man- ner, i.e., there will be special (plenary) sessions, sessions for contributed papers, workshop sessions, and an exhibition. These activities will take place in the Sava Centar, the Congress center of Belgrade.

Two satellite symposia are planned: a symposium on ocean acoustics will be held in Dubrovnik and the other satellite symposium, on electroa- coustics, is scheduled for Zagreb. No definite dates for the satellite symposia have been announced so far.

Those interested in receiving further announcements should write to 13th ICA Secretariat, Sava Centar, 11070 Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

Statistics---12th ICA

Some statistics of the 12th International Congress on Acoustics, held in Toronto in July 1986, have been released by the organizers, the Canadian Acoustical Association. This shows that 954 participants from 36 countries attended the Congress.

The number of participants from the countries represented at the main Congress in Toronto is shown in the last column of the compilation below. The number of participants at the four previous ICAs (London, 1974; Ma- drid, 1977; Sydney, 1980; and Paris, 1983) is also shown for comparison.

The number of students registered at the congress was 63. Exhibitors' guests numbered 177; the latter are not included in the attendance figures shown below.

Country London Madrid Sydney Paris Toronto

Algeria ......... 1 ... Argentina 3 9 2 3 5 Australia 12 20 303 3 19

Austria 9 3 .........

Belgium 23 19 2 19 8 Brazil 2 3 2 1 4

Bulgaria 5 7 --' 3 1 Canada 23 17 14 30 171

Chile ......... 1 ."

China ...... 13 15 19 Cuba ......... 1 -"

Czechoslovakia 18 8 1 6 1

Denmark 45 35 20 36 23

Egypt ...... 1 2 1 Finland 3 ...... 5 2

France 84 161 28 350 98

Ghana ......... 1 '"

East Germany 5 3 '" 2 1 West Germany 195 178 61 100 71 Greece 2 3 '-' 3 .-'

Hong Kong 1 1 '" 2 ." Hungary 11 15 --' 8 3 India 5 3 8 10 7

Indonesia ...... 5 ......

Iran 3 5 '" 2 .-'

Iraq 1 -" 1 ...... Ireland 2 1 .........

Israel 5 9 1 4 2

Italy 37 45 7 20 15 Japan 67 92 108 97 143 Korea ............ 2

Lebanon 1 ............

Libya 3 3 2 ...... Malawi 1 ............

Malaysia ...... 1 ...... Mexico ... 8 2 ......

Netherlands 49 42 12 24 18

New Zealand 4 '.- 12 2 4

Nigeria 1 1 2 '" 1 Norway 15 13 2 9 8 Pakistan ...... 2 ......

Peru '" 1 .........

Phillipines 1 ............ Poland 24 25 5 17 10

Portugal 1 5 '" 4 1 Romania 7 8 ..- 3 '"

Saudi Arabia ... 2 .........

Singapore 1 2 1 2 2 South Africa 11 5 5 3 8

Spain 12 163 1 18 16 Sweden 55 16 10 15 21

Switerzland 17 17 2 11 3

Syria ......... 3 ." Tunesia 1 ............

Turkey 1 1 ...... 1 U.K. 417 107 22 75 46

U.S.A. 223 177 54 117 201

USSR 18 20 4 17 12

Venezuela -'- 2 .........

Yugoslavia 13 26 5 3 6 Zaire 1 ............

Accompanying members 210 192 i27 200 133

197 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 81(1), Jan. 1987; 0001-4966/87/01197-01500.80; ¸ 1987 Acoust. Soc. Am.; Acoust. News from Abroad 197

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