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Landolt-Börnstein


Landolt-Börnstein (LB) is a systematic collection of critically assessed numerical data and functional relationships in physics, physical chemistry, biophysics, geophysics, astronomy, materials science, and technology. It is a valuable but often overlooked source of reliable physical data. Its full German title is Zahlenwerte und Funktionen aus Physik, Chemie, Astronomie, Geophysik und Technik. The 6th Edition was published from 1950 to 1980, and contains 22,500 pages in 28 volumes. It contains fundamental, well-tested information that is less likely to require revision. In 1961 the extensive New Series began publication, which updates and expands the base set with a later focus on solid state materials and semiconductors.

Indexes:
  • There is a small printed Comprehensive Index for properties in the 6th Edition and New Series up to 1990. The keyword system in the indexes is arranged in four levels of hierarchy. The primary or first keyword generally denotes a physical quantity or constant, or type of material in question. A "(d)" sometimes added to page numbers in the index entry tells the user that only "dispersed" data will be found for a particular keyword -- in other words, the data for that keyword are scattered and not the main focus for the given range of pages. If an item of interest is not assigned a first keyword in the index, search under synonyms or broader terms.

  • LB Substance/Property Index
    The University of Hamburg has created web indexes that can be browsed or searched. "This site lists all substances and their properties which are reported on in the indexed Landolt-Börnstein volumes. In total, 160,000 organic and inorganic compounds are described by names, molecular structures, chemical abstract numbers and other identifiers." There is also a 3-volume index of inorganic substances and systems through 1993.

SpringerMaterials
An electronic version of LB allows searching of the entire series. However, UT-Austin is not able to subscribe to this service and the PDF full text is not accessible. Careful examination of the chapter summary reference can tell you which print volume to look in (but not its page numbers).

Print Holdings:
The Chemistry Library has the 6th edition base set and most volumes of the New Series Groups I-IV and VII through 1998. LB is shelved in the reference stacks of the Chemistry Library, near Beilstein and Gmelin. The Physics-Math-Astronomy Library also has the 6th edition and Group VI of the New Series. Group V is at the Geology Library. No volumes published after 1998 have been acquired.
Catalog record and holdings for base set
Catalog record and holdings for New Series

Obtaining LB Content Not Available at UT
Interlibrary loan (ILL) of printed LB content is difficult due to our inability to know what other libraries own what volumes. It is best to contact the chemistry librarian before submitting a request. Entire volumes are not loaned out due to their high cost, and requests for copies of chapters or pages need to be precise and less than 50 pages. Obtaining PDFs from SpringerMaterials is not possible via ILL.

Language:
The base set and the New Series up to about 1990 are in German, with English tables of contents in some volumes. LB consists mostly of tables and graphs, with very little text. A knowledge of common German physical and chemical terms is useful. A German-English chemical dictionary is located nearby.

New Series

The New Series is divided into subject groups. Each group is further divided into volumes and subvolumes on particular topics. Only pre-1998 volumes are listed here.

The 6th Edition

Volume I : Atomic and Molecular Physics.

Volume II : Properties of Matter in its Aggregated States.

Volume III : Astronomy and Geophysics. (1952)

Volume IV : Technology.