Nikola Tesla Timeline

** Nikola Tesla, electricity, Tesla coil, historical experiments, science advancements

Synopsis

Nikola Tesla cited the analysis of mathematician Arnold N. Sommerfeld as verification of his explanations of observed radio phenomena.

Nikola TeslaTesla timelineArnold Sommerfeldsurface wavesJohann ZenneckGeorge GoubauF. Harmssingle-wire transmissiondielectric coated transmission lineJames CorumTesla patentscurrent waves

This timeline traces single-wire, surface-wave transmission from Arnold Sommerfeld's 1899 work on surface waves along wires, through Johann Zenneck's ground–air surface wave, to the dielectric-coated transmission lines of F. Harms (1907) and George J. Goubau (1950). Nikola Tesla sits in the middle of that sequence: in 1916 he pointed to Sommerfeld's analysis as verification of his own wireless system, and described the conical coil of his patents Nos. 645,576 and 649,621.

Timeline

Year	Who	Event	Note / attribution
1899	Arnold Sommerfeld	Did work on surface waves from wires.	—
1907	F. Harms	Dielectric coated transmission line.	—
1909	Johann Zenneck	While working to explain Marconi's trans-oceanic results, showed that a unique type of surface wave could travel along the interface between the ground and the air.	In the words of James Corum
1916	Nikola Tesla	Cited the analysis of mathematician Arnold N. Sommerfeld as verification of his explanations of observed radio phenomena. Tesla was referring to his wireless system in which, he claimed, 90% to 95% of the electrical energy was manifested at the transmitter's output as "current waves", with the remainder existing as dissipating electromagnetic radiation.	In the words of James Corum
1916	Nikola Tesla	Stated that the coil shown as a spiral in his patents Nos. 645,576 and 649,621 was in the form of a cone.	Tesla's own words — see the quotation below
1950	George J. Goubau	Dielectric coated transmission line.	—

“This coil, which I have subsequently shown in my patents Nos. 645,576 and 649,621, in the form of a spiral, was, as you see in the form of a cone.”

— Nikola Tesla, 1916. Patents US 645,576 and US 649,621.