Julius Bartels
Encyclopedia
Julius Bartels was a German
geophysicist and statistician
who made notable contributions to the physics of the Sun
and Moon
; to geomagnetism and meteorology
; and to the physics of the ionosphere
. He also made fundamental contributions to statistical methods for geophysics. Bartels was the first President of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
. With Sydney Chapman
, he wrote the influential book Geomagnetism.
from Göttingen in 1923, then worked at the Potsdam
magnetic observatory as a post-doctorate. In 1928 he was named professor
at Eberswalde
, teaching meteorology
. He became full professor at Berlin University
in 1936, and director of the Potsdam Geophysical Institute. From 1931 until the second year of World War II
he was also a research associate at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. He collaborated with Sydney Chapman
to publish the two-volume work Geomagnetism, a definitive reference on geophysics.
Following the war in 1946 he became professor in Göttingen. He was also a director at the Max Planck Institute
for Physics of the Stratosphere
(today Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
) between 1955 and 1964. When 1958 ICSU created the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Bartels became chairman of the (West-)German branch. From 1954 until 1957 he served as first President of the IAGA
. Between 1960 and 1963 he was vice-president of the IUGG
.
, and he suggested the existence of "M-regions" on the Sun
that resulted in geomagnetic activity. These coronal holes
were later confirmed by the Skylab
mission. Finally he also helped initiate the International Geophysical Year
, which took place in 1957.
The Bartels rotation number of the Sun based on a regular 27 day cycle is named after him. It is similar to the Carrington rotation
which is based on 27.2753 days.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
geophysicist and statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
who made notable contributions to the physics of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
; to geomagnetism and meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
; and to the physics of the ionosphere
Ionosphere
The ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
. He also made fundamental contributions to statistical methods for geophysics. Bartels was the first President of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy is the premier international scientific association promoting the study of terrestrial and planetary magnetism and space physics....
. With Sydney Chapman
Sydney Chapman
Sydney Chapman may refer to:*Sir Sydney Chapman , , British economist and civil servant*Sydney Chapman FRS , British mathematician...
, he wrote the influential book Geomagnetism.
Life and Career
Bartels was awarded his Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Göttingen in 1923, then worked at the Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
magnetic observatory as a post-doctorate. In 1928 he was named professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Eberswalde
Eberswalde
Eberswalde is a major town and the administrative seat of the district Barnim in the German Federal State of Brandenburg, about 50 km northeast of Berlin. Population 42144 , geographical location . The town is often called Waldstadt , because of the large forests around it, including the...
, teaching meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
. He became full professor at Berlin University
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
in 1936, and director of the Potsdam Geophysical Institute. From 1931 until the second year of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was also a research associate at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. He collaborated with Sydney Chapman
Sydney Chapman (astronomer)
Sydney Chapman FRS was a British mathematician and geophysicist. His work on the kinetic theory of gases, solar-terrestrial physics, and the Earth's ozone layer has inspired a broad range of research over many decades....
to publish the two-volume work Geomagnetism, a definitive reference on geophysics.
Following the war in 1946 he became professor in Göttingen. He was also a director at the Max Planck Institute
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
for Physics of the Stratosphere
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler...
(today Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research is a research institute in Astronomy/Astrophysics, located in Lindau , Germany; 20 km north east of Göttingen. The exploration of our solar system is the central theme for the scientific research done at this Institute...
) between 1955 and 1964. When 1958 ICSU created the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Bartels became chairman of the (West-)German branch. From 1954 until 1957 he served as first President of the IAGA
International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy is the premier international scientific association promoting the study of terrestrial and planetary magnetism and space physics....
. Between 1960 and 1963 he was vice-president of the IUGG
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the scientific study of the Earth using geophysical and geodesic techniques. The IUGG was established in 1919. Some areas within its scope are environmental preservation, reduction of the effects of...
.
Research
Among his contributions was the development of the Kp-indexK-index
The K-index quantifies disturbances in the horizontal component of earth's magnetic field with an integer in the range 0-9 with 1 being calm and 5 or more indicating a geomagnetic storm. It is derived from the maximum fluctuations of horizontal components observed on a magnetometer during a...
, and he suggested the existence of "M-regions" on the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
that resulted in geomagnetic activity. These coronal holes
Coronal holes
Coronal holes are areas where the Sun's corona is darker, colder, and has lower-density plasma than average. These were found when X-ray telescopes in the Skylab mission were flown above the Earth's atmosphere to reveal the structure of the corona. Coronal holes are linked to unipolar...
were later confirmed by the Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
mission. Finally he also helped initiate the International Geophysical Year
International Geophysical Year
The International Geophysical Year was an international scientific project that lasted from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between East and West was seriously interrupted...
, which took place in 1957.
The Bartels rotation number of the Sun based on a regular 27 day cycle is named after him. It is similar to the Carrington rotation
Carrington rotation
The Carrington rotation of the Sun is a system for comparing locations on the Sun over a period of time, allowing the following of sunspot groups or reappearance of eruptions at a later time....
which is based on 27.2753 days.
Awards and honors
- Posthumously awarded the William Bowie MedalWilliam Bowie MedalThe William Bowie Medal is awarded annually by the American Geophysical Union for 'outstanding contributions to fundamental geophysics and for unselfish cooperation in research"...
of the American Geophysical UnionAmerican Geophysical UnionThe American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
. - The Julius Bartels Medal, of the European Geosciences UnionEuropean Geosciences UnionThe European Geosciences Union is an interdisciplinary non-profit learned society open to individuals who are professionally engaged in or associated with geosciences, planetary and space sciences, and related studies.The mission statement of the EGU is "Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in...
Division on Solar-Terrestrial Sciences, was named in his honor. - The crater BartelsBartels (crater)Bartels is a lunar crater located along the western perimeter of the Moon's visible face. At this location the crater is viewed from the side, and visibility is affected by libration. The crater can be viewed in its entirety only from lunar orbit...
on the MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him.