# Emil Konopinski

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emil_Konopinski
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Emil_Konopinski.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Konopinski
> Source revision: 1318505641
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American nuclear physicist (1911–1990)

Emil Konopinski Konopinski's Los Alamos identity badge photo Born Emil John Konopinski (1911-12-25)December 25, 1911 Michigan City, Indiana, U.S. Died May 26, 1990(1990-05-26) (aged 78) Bloomington, Indiana, U.S. Alma mater University of Michigan (Ph.D) Scientific career Fields Theoretical physics Nuclear physics Institutions Indiana University Thesis A Synopsis of Theoretical Considerations Concerning the Continuous Beta-Ray-Spectra (1936) Doctoral advisor George Uhlenbeck Doctoral students Eugene Greuling

**Emil John (Jan) Konopinski** (December 25, 1911 in [Michigan City, Indiana](/source/Michigan_City%2C_Indiana) – May 26, 1990 in [Bloomington](/source/Bloomington%2C_Indiana), [Indiana](/source/Indiana)) was an [American](/source/Americans) [nuclear scientist](/source/Nuclear_scientist)[1] of [Polish](/source/Poland) descent. His parents were Joseph and Sophia ([née](/source/Birth_name#Maiden_and_married_names) Sniegowska).[2]

He was, with [George Uhlenbeck](/source/George_Uhlenbeck) as thesis advisor, a 1934 Ph.D. graduate of the [University of Michigan](/source/University_of_Michigan), and later a professor of [physics](/source/Physics) at [Indiana University](/source/Indiana_University). His doctoral students include Eugene Greuling.[3][4] During [WW II](/source/World_War_II) Konopinski collaborated with [Enrico Fermi](/source/Enrico_Fermi) on the first [nuclear reactor](/source/Nuclear_reactor) at the [University of Chicago](/source/University_of_Chicago). He also joined the [Manhattan Project](/source/Manhattan_Project) to develop the first [nuclear weapon](/source/Nuclear_weapon) (atomic bomb).[5]

He, together with C. Marvin and [Edward Teller](/source/Edward_Teller), showed that a thermonuclear explosion would not ignite the atmosphere and thereby destroy the earth.[6]

An [Atomic Energy Commission](/source/United_States_Atomic_Energy_Commission) consultant from 1946 to 1968, he wrote a book entitled *The Theory of Beta Radioactivity.*

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-nyt_obit_1-0)** ["Emil Konopinski, 78, Atomic Bomb Scientist"](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/28/obituaries/emil-konopinski-78-atomic-bomb-scientist.html). *The New York Times*. May 28, 1990. Retrieved 2 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Konopinski mss., 1934-1988 - Archives Online at Indiana University"](https://archives.iu.edu/catalog/InU-Li-VAD6628). *archives.iu.edu*. Retrieved 2023-01-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Eugene Greuling](https://mathgenealogy.org/id.php?id=104307) at the [Mathematics Genealogy Project](/source/Mathematics_Genealogy_Project)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Obituary: Eugene Greuling"](https://doi.org/10.1063%2F1.3069078). *Physics Today*. **28** (7): 58. July 1975. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1975PhT....28g..58.](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1975PhT....28g..58.). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1063/1.3069078](https://doi.org/10.1063%2F1.3069078).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Emery, Guy T.; [Langer, Lawrence M.](/source/Lawrence_Marvin_Langer); [Newton, Roger G.](/source/Roger_G._Newton) (October 1991). ["Obituary: Emil J. Konopinski"](https://doi.org/10.1063%2F1.2810306). *Physics Today*. **44** (10): 144. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1991PhT....44j.144E](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1991PhT....44j.144E). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1063/1.2810306](https://doi.org/10.1063%2F1.2810306).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Konopinski, E. J; C. Marvin; [Edward Teller](/source/Edward_Teller) (1946). [*Ignition of the Atmosphere with Nuclear Bombs*](https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/lanl/docs1/00329010.pdf) (PDF) (declassified Feb. 1973). Los Alamos National Laboratory. LA-602. Retrieved 2008-11-23.

## External links

- [Emil John Konopinski](https://mathgenealogy.org/id.php?id=120320) at the [Mathematics Genealogy Project](/source/Mathematics_Genealogy_Project)

- [Emil J. Konopinski, UHA: Indiana University – Award Honoree](https://web.archive.org/web/20130925105951/http://www.iu.edu/~uha/search-awards/honoree.phtml?id=3485)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF 2 GND FAST WorldCat National United States Netherlands Norway Sweden Poland Israel Academics CiNii Mathematics Genealogy Project zbMATH MathSciNet People Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef SNAC Yale LUX

This article about an American theoretical physicist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:US-theoretical-physicist-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AUS-theoretical-physicist-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:US-theoretical-physicist-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Emil Konopinski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Konopinski) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Konopinski?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.