K. J. V. Steenstrup
Encyclopedia
Knud Johannes Vogelius Steenstrup (September 7, 1842 in Høstemark Mill in Mou, Northern Jutland
- April 1, 1906) was a Danish geologist
and explorer
of Greenland
. He was a nephew of the zoologist
Japetus Steenstrup
.
K.J.V. Steenstrup took a degree in pharmacy
in 1863 and worked as assistant at the University of Copenhagen
Geological Museum
from 1866 to 1889. He made in total nine journeys to Greenland
, one of which lasted 2.5 years. He made remarkable collections of Miocene
plant fossils in North West Greenland. These were later treated by the swiss botanist
Oswald Heer
. Steenstrup proved that the large iron
-rich blocks found by A.E. Nordenskiöld
on Disko
, and claimed by him to be meteorites, were in fact native iron extrusions in basalt
. This finding made his name well known and he was subsequently made honorary member of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland. From 1889 to his death, he was state geologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark. Unfortunately, a large proportion of his Greenlandic
collections were lost when Christiansborg Palace burned i 1884. In his home country, he made pioneering studies of dune
morphology.
He was appointed Honorary Doctor
at the University of Copenhagen
in 1906. From 1896 he was a member of the Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland
and from 1902 fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
.
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
- April 1, 1906) was a Danish 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...
and explorer
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
of 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...
. He was a nephew of the zoologist
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
Japetus Steenstrup
Japetus Steenstrup
Johannes Japetus Smith Steenstrup was a Danish zoologist, biologist, and professor.He was a professor of zoology at the University of Copenhagen...
.
K.J.V. Steenstrup took a degree in pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
in 1863 and worked as assistant at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
Geological Museum
Geological Museum
The Geological Museum is one of the oldest single science museums in the world and now part of the Natural History Museum in London...
from 1866 to 1889. He made in total nine journeys to 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...
, one of which lasted 2.5 years. He made remarkable collections of Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
plant fossils in North West Greenland. These were later treated by the swiss botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
Oswald Heer
Oswald Heer
Oswald Heer , Swiss geologist and naturalist, was born at Niederuzwil in Canton of St. Gallen and died in Lausanne.-Biography:...
. Steenstrup proved that the large iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
-rich blocks found by A.E. Nordenskiöld
Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld
Freiherr Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld , also known as A. E. Nordenskioeld was a Finnish baron, geologist, mineralogist and arctic explorer of Finnish-Swedish origin. He was a member of the prominent Finland-Swedish Nordenskiöld family of scientists...
on Disko
Disko Island
Disko Island is a large island in Baffin Bay, off the west coast of Greenland. It has an area of , making it the second largest island of Greenland and one of the 100 largest islands in the world...
, and claimed by him to be meteorites, were in fact native iron extrusions in basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
. This finding made his name well known and he was subsequently made honorary member of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland. From 1889 to his death, he was state geologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark. Unfortunately, a large proportion of his Greenlandic
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...
collections were lost when Christiansborg Palace burned i 1884. In his home country, he made pioneering studies of dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
morphology.
He was appointed Honorary Doctor
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in 1906. From 1896 he was a member of the Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland
Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland
The Commission for Scientific Investigations in Greenland is a Danish-Greenlandic 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...
and from 1902 fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters is a Danish non-governmental science Academy, founded 13 November 1742 by permission of the King Christian VI, as a historical Collegium Antiquitatum...
.
Sources
- Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, vol. XVI, p. 342-343; Hintze, V.: Steenstrup, Knud Johannes Vogelius (in Danish)