VOL. 43, No. 7, JULY 1962 299

The Centenary 1

SVERRE PETTERSSEN The University of Chicago

It is altogether fitting that way, was presided over by the Rector of Oslo throughout the world should mark the 100th anni- University, Professor Johan T. Rund. The au- versary of the birth (on March 14th, 1862) of dience was made up of leaders in Norwegian Vilhelm Bjerknes—often, and justly, called the science, and friends and relatives of the Bjerknes Father of Modern . The family, including Professor , the occasion was celebrated with customary Scandi- discoverer of the Polar Front. Present also were navian decorum in the ancient , Professor Erik Palmen, of the Academy of Fin- the young University of , and in the august land, Dr. Alf Nyberg, Director of the Meteoro- Norwegian Academy of Sciences—institutions to logical Service of Sweden, and Dr. Andersen, which Bjerknes was deeply attached. Director of the Danish Meteorological Service. A committee of the Academy, under the chair- A moving biography was presented by one of manship of Professor Einar Hoiland, arranged a Vilhelm Bjerknes' early collaborators, Dr. Olav midday meeting on March 14th in the University Devik. From this we learn that Bjerknes left Aula which, in the presence of the King of Nor- behind almost 200 papers and articles on a variety 1 These are rough notes, written while travelling. For of scientific and cultural subjects. We also learn a detailed biography, readers are referred to articles by that his scientific career took him to leading posi- O. Devik, T. Bergeron and C. L. Godske, Geofysiske tions in Sweden, Germany and ; and, as Publikasjoner, 24, Norske Videnskaps-akademi, Oslo, 1962. (Bjerknes Memorial Volume.) a visitor, to a large number of centers of learning.

First day cover of Norwegian stamps commemorating the centenary of Vilhelm Bjerknes' birth.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 09:08 AM UTC 300 BULLETIN AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

For several decades he enjoyed the generous sup- Bergen School in 1918; and Bjerknes' re-joining port of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, the Oslo faculty in 1926. which enabled him to surround himself with young On this long and winding road, Bjerknes talent from many lands. erected great monuments in the annals of mete- During his student years, Bjerknes assisted his orology; these are well matched by the living father, C. A. Bjerknes, in researches on hydro- army of scientific and practical meteorologists, dynamic forces, results of which attracted much few of whom can say that a considerable part of attention among the leading of the their mental equipment did not come, directly or 1880's. About 1890 Bjerknes became Heinrich indirectly, from the great master. Hertz's first collaborator, and assisted him in the It is in keeping with good Norwegian traditions famous experiments with radio waves. After that great scientists, writers and artists, rather Hertz's death in 1893, Bjerknes wrote seven than generals and politicians, are honored by mon- papers on electrical resonance, which exerted great uments. A beautiful bust of Vilhelm Bjerknes influence on the development of radio. We are was presented by the Norwegian Ministry of reminded that the fortunes made from these dis- Education to the Oslo University, with an iden- coveries did not reach the scientists involved; tical twin going to the University of Bergen. indeed, forty years later Hertz's widow and Thus, Bjerknes has now formally joined the elite daughter, as poor refugees from the Third Reich, of leaders in Norwegian culture. were helped by Bjerknes to escape to England. The Norwegian Government also contributed by The year when the great Hertz died, Bjerknes issuing two Bjerknes stamps: one 45 ore and one was appointed professor of theoretical in 1.50 krone. The small number of first-day covers the University of —it was necessary to were sold out early on March 14th. have a regular job and pay. His interests, with The Norwegian Academy of Science, of which his duties, changed from research on electricity to Bjerknes was President and a pillar of strength fluid motion. Soon new landmarks were raised; during the war years, celebrated the day by issu- in 1898 Bjerknes published his circulation theorem ing a special volume (Vol. 24) of the Geofysiske and paved the way from classical to physical hy- Publikasjoner, a series which was started in 1918 drodynamics. From then on, and until his death on Bjerknes' initiative. To provide a wider circu- in 1951, his overwhelming interest was centered lation of this volume, the American Meteorological around the dynamics of the atmosphere and the Society provided the Academy with funds for an oceans. It is a gross oversimplification to say that additional 3000 copies. The cooperation of the Bjerknes' main contribution to hydrodynamics re- Society in augmenting the circulation is particu- sides in the circulation theorems. Important as larly appropriate, since Bjerknes works have ex- these theorems are, his major contributions are erted a profound influence on the development of the shaping of a physical hydrodynamics, and a American . theoretical as well as a practical approach to the The memorial volume, of more than 300 pages, solution of problems related to atmospheric and includes a detailed biography of Vilhelm Bjerknes, oceanic motions. a complete list of his publications, and 11 major The present generation of meteorologists are papers written by men who, at one time or an- superficially familiar with the broad aspects of other, were closely associated with Bjerknes. Bjerknes' works since about 1920. But few ap- On the evening of March 14th the Norwegian preciate the immense amount of work, accompanied Academy gave a banquet for members of Bjerknes' by frustrations as well as glimpses of success, that family, earlier collaborators, and foreign guests. preceded the break-through. Largely forgotten is As one of the speakers, I took it upon myself to the fundament that was laid at the Oslo University express, on behalf of the Society, our admiration from 1905 to 1912. Next followed the creation for Vilhelm Bjerknes' immense contributions to by the Government of Saxony of a Geophysical science, our devotion to his ideals, and our satis- Institute for Bjerknes in Leipzig; then the First faction at being allowed to join with the Academy World War; the end of the Leipzig period, amid in the publishing and distribution of the Bjerknes' hunger, in 1917; the founding of the so-called memorial volume.

Unauthenticated | Downloaded 09/28/21 09:08 AM UTC