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Otto Jesse and the Investigation of Noctilucent Clouds 115 Years

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Otto Jesse and the Investigation of Noctilucent Clouds 115 Years Otto Jesse and the Investigation KpMdfr of Noctilucent Clouds 115 Years Ago Wilfried Schroder Bremen-Roennebeck, Germany ABSTRACT Extracts from Otto Jesse's papers relating to twilight studies, noctilucent clouds, and atmospheric movements are presented here to illustrate his contribution to the subject during the years 1884-1901. The most important result of his activity was the establishment of the Berlin Atmospheric Programme, which included regular monitoring of noctilucent clouds by visual and photographic means. Furthermore, Jesse studied problems of dynamic processes in noctilucent clouds and in the corresponding upper-atmospheric layers. 1 • Introduction Berlin). Such a discussion is rather difficult as Jesse's personal papers are not available. One hundred and fifteen years ago, as darkness For recent studies and theoretical discussion see came over Berlin, the astronomer Otto Jesse (Fig. 1) Schroder (1998) and Thomas (1991, 1994, 1996). started his observations in the twilight. Looking to- ward the northeast he found silvery bands, ripples, and waves in the cloud-form, a phenomenon he had never 2. The earliest reports on noctilucent observed before. These beautiful clouds in the evening clouds sky showed variations in brightness and in shape. That was the hour of the birth of a new discipline in upper- The first world-wide observations of anomalous atmospheric physics, and Jesse started a program to twilight phenomena from the year 1883 (Perntner investigate these clouds, which were later named noc- 1889; Peters 1893) are without doubt connected to the tilucent clouds. earlier volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in the Sunda Ertel outlined the "phases of the development of Strait. In central Europe, no observations of noctilu- geophysics" in his lecture at the Academy of Sciences cent clouds were recorded, even in 1884, as evident in Berlin. Such phases of development are also evi- from Jesse's following remark: "I observed often, in dent with regard to the study of noctilucent clouds the summer of 1884, the purple light and carried out a (Schroder 1975, 1998). greater number of measurements on it. The phenom- This paper discusses the initial phase of research enon of noctilucent clouds would not therefore have into noctilucent clouds. Research in this field is only escaped my attention if they were already visible at that possible today because of earlier contributions to the time" (Jesse 1888, p. 90). Even a thorough analysis of topic made at the Berlin Astronomical Observatory other German observations from different sources (i.e., (then part of the German Academy of Sciences in from the years before 1885) brought no definite sightings of noctilucent clouds (see Schroder 1998). Prominent noctilucent clouds were observed in central Europe beginning on 23 June 1885. Jesse Corresponding author address: Dr. Wilfried Schroder, (1886) remarked that there are many reports about the HechelstraBe 8, D-28777 Bremen-Roennebeck, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]. phenomenon on 23 June. He added that he observed In final form 25 May 2001. noctilucent clouds in Berlin on 23,24, and 30 June and ©2001 American Meteorological Society on 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 17, 19, 21, and 22 July. Jesse (1886) Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 2421 Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 07:59 AM UTC within the cloud structure were extremely rapid, so that they could only be observed for some minutes at a certain point" (Jesse 1886, p. 18). In 1885, Jesse planned a program of observation of the noctilucent clouds and presented it in 1887. He emphasized the necessity of cooperation between ob- servers as a precondition for the continuous monitor- ing of noctilucent clouds. He wrote: "The possibility of such observations seems to be extremely rare; up to now I could not ascertain whether such phenom- ena had been previously observed. This makes the widest participation in the observations even more de- sirable" (Jesse 1887, p. 179). Finally Jesse proposed the following main objectives for the observational program: 1) Determination of the movement and velocity of complex cloud displays and different forms (waves, bands, surfaces). 2) Determination of the height of noctilucent clouds by triangulation with photographic data from dif- ferent stations in Berlin-Steglitz, Nauen, Potsdam, and partly from Warnemiinde (all in Germany). 3) Photometric measurements and spectroscopic in- vestigation of the clouds and atmospheric level and twilight. This includes estimation of intensity of FIG. 1. Otto Jesse (1838-1901). light at different heights and different observation times, measurements of spectroscopic matter of published two comprehensive reports on these obser- light, and polariscopic measurements of the light vations. V. K. Tseraskii (1849-1925) in Russia was during the events. Furthermore the sky should be also involved in upper-atmospheric research and be- observed during days (polariscopic and photomet- ginning in the 1880s he studied noctilucent clouds. He ric) on which the clouds might be visible. Those also organized some height determinations (cf. investigations may be helpful in detecting the ex- Bronsten and Grisin 1970; Schroder 1975). There may istence of clouds during the daytime. be correspondence between Jesse and Tseraskii but no 4) Most of the observations can be started from one letters have been found despite careful research station, but in general a more widespread observa- through the years by several authors. On the other tion system should be installed. hand, it is of interest that Jesse was in contact with the Krakatoa Committee of the Royal Society (in the He wrote further in a manual for the observations: same way as the German physicist Johann KieBling "Although it is desirable that observations should be who published two books on the Krakatoa event). carried out according to this programme, nevertheless Immediately after the appearance of noctilucent it would be—especially concerning the periodic ap- clouds, Jesse asked different scientific institutions to pearance of the phenomenon—sufficient if reports inform him "if this phenomenon was only local or had become available from non-European stations about greater extent" (Jesse 1886, p. 8). The responses indi- the times when the phenomenon appeared" (Jesse cated that noctilucent clouds had been observed at 1887, p. 180). With regard to the collection of non- many places in Europe. Furthermore, Jesse gave a European observations, it is to be remarked that the description of the phenomenon: "The form of the then Marine Observatory in Hamburg, Germany, pub- clouds was very similar to cirrus clouds. Often only lished an "invitation to mariners, especially to those singular wisps were observed; more often they re- in middle and higher southern latitudes" (Jesse 1888, sembled compact cirrostratus clouds. The changes p. 93) initiated by Jesse. Concerning the monitoring 2382 Vol. 82,, No. 7 7, November 2001 Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/24/21 07:59 AM UTC of noctilucent clouds as the main aim of Jesse's project, Steglitz, Nauen and Rathenow in a programme led by the following sentence is quoted from Archenhold O. Jesse. The photographs were taken in Steglitz by (1894, p. 4): "Due to the indeterminable irregular appear- Jesse, in Rathenow by Hoeffler and in Nauen by ance of noctilucent clouds, this observational programme watchmaker Mr. Baeker, the son of the deceased is one of the most arduous in the astronomical field. Nauen watchmaker Baeker who was known as the dis- It means that, during each summer night, without ex- coverer of several comets. The distance between ception, one has to remain awake at the post from 9 Steglitz and Nauen is 35 km, that between Steglitz and p.m. till 3 a.m. and to search the night sky for these Rathenow 70 km, this being adequate for the deter- formations from Northeast to Southwest." mination of the position of these clouds" (Foerster The systematic photographic monitoring of noc- 1890, p. 102). Photographic monitoring was contin- tilucent clouds was started in 1887. Jesse (1889, ued in 1890, too. Foerster (1891, 88-89) wrote about p. 269) wrote: "On the inspiration of Professor it as follows: "Mr. O. Jesse from our staff and his Foerster in Berlin, Dr. Stolze in Berlin and myself in colleagues mentioned in the previous report, together Potsdam we simultaneously took photographs of noc- with the astronomer. Archenhold and Mr. Heuer took tilucent clouds on the evening of July 6, 1887 . ." many photographs of noctilucent clouds during spring (cf. Figs. 2 and 3). After 1887, continuous observa- and summer 1890 in Steglitz, Nauen and Rathenow tions of noctilucent clouds were carried out in the as well as from the Astronomical Observatory of the Berlin Astronomical Observa- tory. Foerster (1832-1921) commented: "In these years the Berlin Astronomical Observa- tory succeeded in taking simul- taneous photographs of this cloud phenomenon at three to four stations, so that not only the position and height of these clouds could be determined, but their movements, too, by com- paring and measuring the pictures on the photographic plates" (Foerster 1906, p. 46). Around the same time, Foerster published five photographs of noctilucent clouds. Jesse's results were pub- lished in the Annual Reports of the Berlin Astronomical Ob- servatory, where he worked. Foerster reported for the year 1889: "The Berlin Astronomical Observatory has participated fi- nancially and by the contribu- tions of their staff, Mr. O. Jesse and astronomer Hoeffler, who introduced
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