Hans Ertel and International Science: The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics

摘要

When I was invited to prepare a paper for this volume honoring Hans Ertel, my immediateudreply was that I had retired, my laboratory was closed down, and I had no new data or unpublishedudideas to report. The Editor, Wilfried Schroder, generously suggested that in a volume honoring theudwork of a scientist dealing with problems of global scale, it would be appropriate for me to present audstatement about the activities of the seven Associations comprising the International Union ofudGeodesy and Geophysics. Hans Enel's research spanned several fields, as indicated by his titles ofudProfessor of Geophysics. Theoretical Mechanics and Meteorology, and Director of the Institute ofudPhysical Hydrography. The research ranged from interactions between the ocean and atmosphere toudthose between the stratosphere and troposphere. His theoretical work on fluid dynamics has wideudapplications, and he published in addition on geodesy, inhomogeneous magnetic fields, theory of earthudcurrents, weather forecasting, coastal problems, geomorphology arid seiches. His responsibilities asudVice-President or Director of Academies and Institutes during the 1950s involved internationaludcooperation and exchange of ideas with scientists all over the world. He was an editor of severaludgeophysical and meteorological journals (German language), and has stimulated many internationaludconferences in physics and geophysics. He played a significant role in development of IUGG'sudInternational Geophysical Year (1957-58), and later worked on the program of the InternationaludHydrological Decade. The 50th Anniversary of the International Geophysical Year will be celebratedudvery soon. The present interdisciplinary character of geophysical sciences was emphasized in myudPresidential Address at the Opening Ceremony of the XXIl General Assembly of IUGG inudBirmingham. July 1999, the text of which is reproduced below. From what I have learned of HansudErtel and his research I feel confident that, if still living, this "seminal figure in the development ofudmodem meteorology and geophysics" (quotation from W. Schroder) would have fitted comfortablyudinto the 1999 General Assembly Program, with honor.ud