Carl Anton Bjerknes
Encyclopedia
Carl Anton Bjerknes was a Norwegian
mathematician
and physicist
. Bjerknes' earlier work was in pure mathematics, but he is principally known for his studies in hydrodynamics.
at the University of Oslo
, and after that mathematics
at the University of Göttingen and the University of Paris
. In 1866 he held a chair for applied mathematics
and in 1869 for mathematics. Over a fifty year time period, Bjerknes taught mathematics at the University of Oslo
and at the military college.
Influenced by Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet
, Bjerknes worked for the rest of his life in the field of hydrodynamics. He tried to explain the electrodynamics of James Clerk Maxwell
by hydrodynamical analogies and similarly he proposed a mechanical explanation of gravitation
. Although he didn't succeeded in his attempts to explain all those things, his findings in the field of hydrodynamics were important. His experiments was shown at the electric exhibition in Paris
in 1879 and the year at the Scandinavian naturalist meeting in Stockholm
. His son Norwegian physicist and meteorologist, Vilhelm Bjerknes continued the work of his father.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. Bjerknes' earlier work was in pure mathematics, but he is principally known for his studies in hydrodynamics.
Biography
Carl Anton Bjerknes was born in Oslo, Norway. His father was Abraham Isaksen Bjerknes and his mother Elen Birgitte Holmen. Bjerknes studied miningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, and after that mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Göttingen and the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. In 1866 he held a chair for applied mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
and in 1869 for mathematics. Over a fifty year time period, Bjerknes taught mathematics at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
and at the military college.
Influenced by Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet
Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet
Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet was a German mathematician with deep contributions to number theory , as well as to the theory of Fourier series and other topics in mathematical analysis; he is credited with being one of the first mathematicians to give the modern formal definition of a...
, Bjerknes worked for the rest of his life in the field of hydrodynamics. He tried to explain the electrodynamics of James Clerk Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell of Glenlair was a Scottish physicist and mathematician. His most prominent achievement was formulating classical electromagnetic theory. This united all previously unrelated observations, experiments and equations of electricity, magnetism and optics into a consistent theory...
by hydrodynamical analogies and similarly he proposed a mechanical explanation of gravitation
Mechanical explanations of gravitation
Mechanical explanations of gravitation are attempts to explain the action of gravity by aid of basic mechanical processes, such as pressure forces caused by pushes, and without the use of any action at a distance. These theories were developed from the 16th until the 19th century in connection...
. Although he didn't succeeded in his attempts to explain all those things, his findings in the field of hydrodynamics were important. His experiments was shown at the electric exhibition in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1879 and the year at the Scandinavian naturalist meeting in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. His son Norwegian physicist and meteorologist, Vilhelm Bjerknes continued the work of his father.
Selected works
- Niels Henrik Abel. En skildring af hans liv og videnskabelige virksomhed (Stockholm. 1880)