Kármán

Kármán is a Hungarian surname, most commonly associated with notable figures in science and engineering. The name is attached to several concepts and institutions in aviation, fluid dynamics, and spaceflight, reflecting the influence of Theodore von Kármán and his colleagues.

Theodore von Kármán (1881–1963) was a Hungarian-born American aerospace engineer and physicist who played a central role in the development of modern aerodynamics and astronautics. He directed aerodynamic research at the California Institute of Technology and contributed to both theoretical and experimental approaches to high-speed flight, jet propulsion, and spaceflight. His work helped shape early approaches to aircraft design, propulsion, and the understanding of supersonic and hypersonic flows, and he mentored generations of engineers and scientists in the field.

Kármán line is a widely used designation for the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space. It is defined by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale as 100 kilometers above sea level. The line is named in honor of von Kármán for his contributions to aeronautics and space science, and it serves as a reference point in education, policy, and space research.

Kármán vortex street refers to a repeating pattern of swirling vortices shed in the wake of a bluff body in a fluid flow. Described in part by von Kármán, the phenomenon is important in fluid dynamics and has practical implications for engineering, such as vibration and structural loading in cylindrical structures.

Kármán Institute for Fluid Dynamics, located in Belgium, is a private research organization named in the honor of von Kármán. It conducts research in fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, and related disciplines.