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Re: Nansen question
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Dec 11, 12:00 -0000
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Dec 11, 12:00 -0000
A follow-up to my earlier posting, which attempted to answer Apache Runner's question about the origin of the Ekman theory of wind drift. I suggested that Nansen's publication "Some results of the Norwegian Arctic Expredition 1893-96" might be productive, but a look in Abebooks tells me that slim volume is just reprinted from an item in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, presumably for 1897. So that may be findable in an academic library. But I've also discovered that the results were gathered into a series of (at least) 6 volumes, "The Norwegian North Polar Expedition 1893-1896 Scientific Results Vol 1", etc, edited by Nansen (presumably in English). These were reprinted by Greenwood Press, New York, around 1970, so should be available in libraries. And I see that Ekman made at least one contribution to that series (on "Dead-water", in vol 3). I remember learning about the Ekman theory, in an oceanography course in the early 1950s (and being a bit sceptical). George. contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222) or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Huxtable"To: Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 12:47 AM Subject: Re: [NavList 11079] Nansen question | Yes, it was on the Fram expedition of 1893-96, , when Nansen made the | observation sthat led to the Ekman spiral, according to "The Oceans", | Sverdup, Johnson, and Fleming (1942), page 492. | | I have the two volumes of Nansen's "Furthest North", but a very-quick scan | from the index has only led to passages which seem to imply that ice was | drifting straight downwind, not at an angle. But Nansen says that further | publications will follow with the scientific details. He later published | which might be | productive, but I don't know it. | | George | | contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk | or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222) | or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. | ----- Original Message ----- | From: "Apache Runner" | To: | Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:35 PM | Subject: [NavList 11077] Nansen question | | || Does anyone know the original publication of Nansen's work that led to the || Eckman theory of currents? || || As I recall, he noticed that icebergs moved at some angle (30-40 degrees) || with respect to the direction that the wind was blowing them and deduced || that it was due to the combination of the wind and the Coriolis effect. || That observation was the basis of the Eckman theory. I'm curious about | the || expedition this was sighted on. I think it was the famous Polar drift | of || the Fram, but I'm not sure. I don't recall seeing it written in Furthest || North (quite a tale, too), so I'm assuming it was a scientific | publication. || || Anyone know? || || -- || NavList message boards: www.fer3.com/arc || Or post by email to: NavList@fer3.com || To , email NavList+@fer3.com | | -- | NavList message boards: www.fer3.com/arc | Or post by email to: NavList@fer3.com | To , email NavList+@fer3.com -- NavList message boards: www.fer3.com/arc Or post by email to: NavList@fer3.com To , email NavList+@fer3.com