Birkeland, Kristian
Published: August 18, 2006, 3:03 pm
Updated: August 18, 2006, 3:03 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Tom Lawrence
Kristian Birkeland (1867-1917), a Norwegian physicist who in 1903, along with Samuel Eyde, developed an electric-arc process (the Birkeland-Eyde process) for nitrogen fixation, one of the first processes used in the large-scale manufacture of nitrogen fertilizer from atmospheric nitrogen. Birkeland is also recognized among the early pioneers of plasma physics and space physics. He is famous for his early and prescient explanation of the aurora borealis in terms of energetic particles from the solar wind interacting with the Earth's magnetosphere. Based on results from his Norwegian Polar Expedition, conducted from 1899 to 1900, Birkeland was the first to determine the global pattern of electric currents in the polar region from ground magnetic field measurements.
Further Reading
Three Remarkable Men (Norsk Hydro)
The Quest for the Northern Lights
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Tom Lawrence (Topic Editor) "Birkeland, Kristian". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 18, 2006; Last revised Date August 18, 2006; Retrieved May 22, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Birkeland,_Kristian>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
Kristian Birkeland (1867-1917), a Norwegian physicist who in 1903, along with Samuel Eyde, developed an electric-arc process (the Birkeland-Eyde process) for nitrogen fixation, one of the first processes used in the large-scale manufacture of nitrogen fertilizer from atmospheric nitrogen. Birkeland is also recognized among the early pioneers of plasma physics and space physics. He is famous for his early and prescient explanation of the aurora borealis in terms of energetic particles from the solar wind interacting with the Earth's magnetosphere. Based on results from his Norwegian Polar Expedition, conducted from 1899 to 1900, Birkeland was the first to determine the global pattern of electric currents in the polar region from ground magnetic field measurements.
Further Reading
Three Remarkable Men (Norsk Hydro)
The Quest for the Northern Lights
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