Sverdrup, Harald Ulrik (1888–1957)

HARALD ULRIK SVERDRUP is a Norwegian meteorologist and oceanographer known for his studies of the physics, chemistry, and biology of the oceans and considered as the founding father of modern physical oceanography. Sverdrup explained the equatorial countercurrents and helped develop the method of predicting surf and breakers. A unit of water flow in the oceans was named after him by océanographie researchers: 1 sverdrup (Sv) is equal to the transport of 1 million cubic meters of water per second. The American Meteorological Society honored him with the Sverdrup Gold Medal, which recognizes researchers for outstanding contributions to the scientific knowledge of interactions between the oceans and the atmosphere.

Sverdrup was born on November 15, 1888, in Sogndal, Sogn, Norway, into an ancient and respected family of ...