Bjørn Helland-Hansen (16 October 1877 – 7 September 1957) was a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe *Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway *Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including the ...

pioneer in the field of modern

oceanography Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamic ...

. He studied the variation patterns of the weather in the northern

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

and of the atmosphere. He studied both medicine and physics at the University of Christiania (now University of Oslo). He developed the "Helland-Hansen

Photometer A photometer is an instrument that measures the strength of electromagnetic radiation in the range from ultraviolet to infrared and including the visible spectrum. Most photometers convert light into an electric current using a photoresistor, ph ...

" in 1910, which was carried on board ''

Michael Sars Michael Sars (30 August 1805 – 22 October 1869) was a Norwegian theologian and biologist. Biography Sars was born in Bergen, Norway. He studied natural history and theology at Royal Frederick University from 1823 and completed a cand.theol. de ...

''. It was operated for the first time close to the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

at a depth between 500 and m. In 1915 he became Professor of oceanography at the

Bergen Museum The University Museum of Bergen ( no, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen) is a university museum in Bergen, Norway. The museum features material related to anthropology, archaeology, botany, geology, zoology, art, and cultural history. History The Univ ...

, and in 1917 director of the

Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen The Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen ( no, Geofysisk institutt) is a marine research facility located in Bergen, Norway. Founded in 1917 by Bjørn Helland-Hansen, the institute studies the field of oceanography dealing with the patte ...

. In 1933 he was awarded the

Alexander Agassiz Medal The Alexander Agassiz Medal is awarded every three years by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for an original contribution in the science of oceanography. It was established in 1911 by Sir John Murray in honor of his friend, the scientist Ale ...

. From 1946 to 1948, Helland-Hansen was President of the

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG; french: Union géodésique et géophysique internationale, UGGI) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the scientific study of Earth and its space environment usi ...

(IUGG). He was a member of the

Prussian Academy of Sciences The Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences (german: Königlich-Preußische Akademie der Wissenschaften) was an academy established in Berlin, Germany on 11 July 1700, four years after the Prussian Academy of Arts, or "Arts Academy," to which "Berlin ...

and a member of the Member of the Academy of Sciences of the

German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

(DDR). Helland-Hansen trained

Alexander Kuchin Alexander Stepanovich Kuchin (russian: link=no, Александр Степанович Кучин; 28 September 1888 in Onega – 1913? in an unknown place in the Kara Sea) was a young Russian oceanographer and Arctic explorer. Backgrou ...

, the Russian oceanographer who went to Antarctica with

Roald Amundsen Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (, ; ; 16 July 1872 – ) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He was a key figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Born in Borge, Østfold, Norway, Amundsen bega ...

. An island in the

Russian Arctic The Extreme North or Far North (russian: Крайний Север, Дальний Север) is a large part of Russia located mainly north of the Arctic Circle and boasting enormous mineral and natural resources. Its total area is about , ...

, east of the

Geiberg Islands The Heiberg Islands, spelt ''Geyberg'', ''Gejberg'' or ''Geiberg'' (Russian: ''острова Гейберга''; ''ostrova Geyberga'' or also ''острова Акселя Гейберга'') is a group of four small islands covered with tundra v ...

, has been named Gellanda-Gansena after Helland-Hansen. left, Bjørn Helland-Hansen (ca 1917)

References

External links

* 1877 births 1957 deaths Scientists from Bergen University of Oslo alumni Academic staff of the University of Bergen Norwegian oceanographers Members of the German Academy of Sciences at Berlin Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences Presidents of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics {{Norway-scientist-stub