Chapter 13

International Meteorological and Magnetic
Co-operations in Polar Regions

Cornelia Lüdecke

(I) 1st International Polar Year (1882–1883) in the Arctic

Hourly meteorological and magnetic measurements from 1 August 1882 until 1
September 1883 (13 months).
Magnetic term days with hourly observations on the 1st and 15th each month
(exception 2nd instead of 1st January 1883) with intensified measurements each 5
minutes over the period of 24 hours starting at 1 August 1882 at midnight
Göttingen Time.
Magnetic term hours with measurements each 20 s over the period of 1 hour
during term days starting on 1 August 1882 at 12 noon and continued on the next
term day starting an hour later (1 p.m.–2 p.m.), so they would cover each hour of a
day during the year.

(IIa) International meteorological and magnetic co-operation (1901–1903) of
Antarctic expeditions as well as navy and merchant ships sailing south of 30

◦

S

(The observing period had been expanded until 1904)
Hourly meteorological observations starting at 12.00 noon Greenwich Time from
1 October 1901 until 31 March 1903 (18 months).
Magnetic term days with hourly observations were defined on the 1st and 15th of
each month from 1 February 1902 until 15 February 1903. Magnetic term hours
with intensified measurements starting at the same day from 0 a.m. to 1 a.m. and
continued on the next term day starting an hour later lasting from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.,
according to IPY-1.

(IIb) “Norwegian Aurora Polaris Expedition” (1902–1903) in the Arctic

Simultaneous measurements according to the instructions of the magnetic
co-operation of the four Arctic stations (Iceland, Finland, Spitsbergen, Novaya
Zemlya)

C. Lüdecke (

B

)

Institute of History of Science, Mathematics and Technology, University of Hamburg, Germany
e-mail: [e-mail]

297

S. Barr, C. Lüdecke (eds.), The History of the International Polar Years (IPYs),
From Pole to Pole, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-12402-0_13,

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Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

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C. Lüdecke

(III) 2nd International Polar Year (1932–1933) in the Arctic

Simultaneous meteorological and magnetic measurements from 1 August 1932
until 31 August 1933 (13 months).
Investigation of the upper atmosphere with aerological methods including
radiosondes and aircraft ascents.
Collection of meteorological data from ships sailing on the southern hemisphere.
Simultaneous observations of aurora using time signals from radio transmission.
Investigation of the ionosphere with radio waves.
Investigation of radiation from the sun and air electricity.

(IV) International Geophysical Year (1957–1958) with focus on Antarctica
later called 3rd International Polar Year (1957–1958)

Continued for a year until 31 December 1959 (then called: International
Geophysical Co-operation).
Co-ordinated meteorological and magnetic measurements from 1 July 1957 until
31 December 1958 (18 months).
10-day interval for special meteorological measurements.
3 world days per month for intensified measurements.
Main fields of research: meteorology, earth magnetics, glaciology, investigation of
the ionosphere, cosmic rays, sun activity and aurora.
Additional oceanographic, seismic and gravimetric investigations as well as
medical and biological projects.
First mission of satellites.

(V) 4th International Polar Year (2007–2008) in both polar regions

Co-ordinated measurements from 1 March 2007 until 1 March 2009 (24 months)
(Originally planned only for 2007–2008).
Traditional knowledge of the local people is included for the first time.