Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland
Encyclopedia
The Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland ( - ) is a Danish
-Greenland
ic commission coordinating research in Greenland
, which has existed since 1878. It serves an advisory function to both the Danish
Minister for Science and the Greenland
home rule
. The commission consists of active researchers from the disciplines of humanities
, social science and technical
and natural science
with equal representation of the two countries and the chair alternating between them. The commission funds research projects, particularly in order to initialize new research.
The commission published the journal Meddelelser om Grønland
- since 1975 issued as three separate monograph series:
Frederik Johnstrup
. He argued that the State of Denmark
should spend some of the considerable income from kryolite mining concessions on furthering mineralogical
and other research actitivities in Greenland
. In the very year of foundation, the commission funded an expedition led by J. A. D. Jensen
to explore the inland icecap and the nunatak
s now named for J. A. D. Jensen.
From 1879 to 1920, its official name was the Commission for Leading Geological and Geographical Investigations in Greenland (Commissionen for Ledelsen af de geologiske og geographiske Undersøgelser i Grønland).
During the 1930's through the 1950's, the geologist
Lauge Koch
had a very strong influence on the commission's work.
Because all research acitivity in Greenland from 1878 onwards have been recorded by the commission, its archives are extremely valuable to research in the history of Arctic exploration
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
-Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
ic commission coordinating research in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, which has existed since 1878. It serves an advisory function to both the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Minister for Science and the Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
. The commission consists of active researchers from the disciplines of humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, social science and technical
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
with equal representation of the two countries and the chair alternating between them. The commission funds research projects, particularly in order to initialize new research.
The commission published the journal Meddelelser om Grønland
Meddelelser om Grønland
Meddelelser om Grønland was a Danish scientific periodical issued by the Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland. Founded by Frederik Johnstrup, it was published from 1879 to 1979...
- since 1975 issued as three separate monograph series:
- MoG Geoscience
- MoG Bioscience
- MoG Man & Society
History
The commission was established in 1878 by initiative of the professor of geologyGeology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
Frederik Johnstrup
Frederik Johnstrup
Professor Johannes Frederik Johnstrup , was a Danish geologist and paleontologist. He was the founder of Meddelelser om Grønland....
. He argued that the State of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
should spend some of the considerable income from kryolite mining concessions on furthering mineralogical
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
and other research actitivities in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. In the very year of foundation, the commission funded an expedition led by J. A. D. Jensen
J. A. D. Jensen
Jens Arnold Diderich Jensen - November 24, 1936 in Copenhagen) was a Danish naval officer and Arctic explorer. He assisted the geological exploration along the Greenland west coast. He is particularly renowned for his explorations of the inland ice sheet. He led an expedition that discovered...
to explore the inland icecap and the nunatak
Nunatak
A nunatak is an exposed, often rocky element of a ridge, mountain, or peak not covered with ice or snow within an ice field or glacier. The term is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present...
s now named for J. A. D. Jensen.
From 1879 to 1920, its official name was the Commission for Leading Geological and Geographical Investigations in Greenland (Commissionen for Ledelsen af de geologiske og geographiske Undersøgelser i Grønland).
During the 1930's through the 1950's, the geologist
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
Lauge Koch
Lauge Koch
Lauge Koch was a Danish geologist and Arctic explorer.He was the renowned leader of 24 Danish government expeditions to Greenland, and the central character in the Lauge Koch Controversy, an international and intra-national conflict...
had a very strong influence on the commission's work.
Because all research acitivity in Greenland from 1878 onwards have been recorded by the commission, its archives are extremely valuable to research in the history of Arctic exploration
Arctic exploration
Arctic exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic region of the Earth. The region that surrounds the North Pole. It refers to the historical period during which mankind has explored the region north of the Arctic Circle...
.
Sources
- Arneborg, J & Secher, K. (2005) Forskning i Grønland – forskning for Grønland: Hovedtræk af Kommissionens historie. KVUG