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Vagn Walfrid Ekman

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Vagn Walfrid Ekman
Vagn Walfrid Ekman
Born(1874-05-03)3 May 1874
Died9 March 1954(1954-03-09) (aged 79)
NationalitySwedish
Alma materUppsala University
Known forGeophysical fluid dynamics
Ocean dynamics
Physical oceanography
Polar meteorology
Ekman current meter
Ekman layer
Ekman number
Ekman spiral
Ekman transport
Ekman velocity
Ekman water bottle
AwardsAlexander Agassiz Medal (1928)
Vega Medal (1939)
Scientific career
FieldsGeophysics
Oceanography

Vagn Walfrid Ekman (3 May 1874 – 9 March 1954) was a Swedish oceanographer.[1]

Born in Stockholm to Fredrik Laurentz Ekman, himself an oceanographer, he became committed to oceanography while studying physics at the University of Uppsala and, in particular, on hearing Vilhelm Bjerknes lecture on fluid dynamics.

During the expedition of the Fram, Fridtjof Nansen had observed that icebergs tend to drift not in the direction of the prevailing wind but at an angle of 20°-40° to the right. Bjerknes invited Ekman, still a student, to investigate the problem. Later, in 1905, Ekman published his theory of the Ekman spiral[2] which explains the phenomenon in terms of the balance between frictional effects in the ocean and the Coriolis force, which arises from moving objects in a rotating environment, like planetary rotation.

On completing his doctorate in Uppsala in 1902, Ekman joined the International Laboratory for Oceanographic Research, Oslo where he worked for seven years, not only extending his theoretical work but also developing experimental techniques and instruments such as the Ekman current meter and Ekman water bottle.

From 1910 to 1939 he continued his theoretical and experimental work at the University of Lund, where he was professor of mechanics and mathematical physics. He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1935.

A gifted amateur bass singer, pianist, and composer, he continued working right up to his death in Gostad, near Stockaryd, Sweden.[3]

See also

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  • Ekman layer – Force equilibrium layer in a liquid
  • Ekman number – Dimensionless ratio of viscous to Coriolis forces
  • Ekman spiral – Velocity profile of wind driven current with depth
  • Ekman transport – Net transport of surface water perpendicular to wind direction
  • Ekman velocity – Formula for wind induced water current velocity

References

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  1. ^ Walin, Gösta. "Vagn Walfrid Ekman". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 July 2010. (subscription required)
  2. ^ Ekman, V. W. 1905. On the influence of the Earth's rotation on ocean currents. Arch. Math. Astron. Phys., 2, 1-52. pdf
  3. ^ Nordisk familjebok, Vol. 35 (Suppl., 1923), col. 490 (in Swedish)
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