Akustische Versuche auf der Niederlandischen Eisenbahnm nebst gelegenlichen Bemerkungen zur Theorie des Hrn Prof. Doppler in Annalen der Physik und Chemie, 66, 1845, pp. 321-351.
Leipzig: Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1845. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION of the first experimental verification of the Doppler effect with sound waves. For this paper, “acoustic tests on the Dutch railway plus remarks on the theory of Professor Doppler,” “Buys” Ballot, a Dutch chemist and meteorologist, put a group of musicians on a train and took up his position on a station platform. He asked the train engineer to rush the train past him as fast as he could while the musicians played and held a constant note, “g”. Both Ballot and a set of observers selected for their sensitivity to pitch were able to detect the Doppler shift (as a change in pitch) as the train passed. Thus the pitch varied just as Doppler had predicted. Item #215
CONDITION & DETAILS: Leipzig: Johann Ambrosius Barth. 8vo. (8 x 5 inches; 200mm x 125mm); Handsomely rebound in three-quarter calf over marbled paper boards; four raised bands at the spine; gilt-lettered and tooled. Very tightly bound. Ex-libris with stamp on title page and no exterior marks whatsoever, some interior foxing. Very good condition overall.
Price: $725.00