’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century
In the 19th and until the mid-20th century, European glaciology was a field science dominated by geological questions and characterised by a strong focus on glacier volume and dynamics. Observing and measuring volume and behaviour, as well as monitoring and mapping of glaciers were main objectives o...
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ftunivbern:oai:boris.unibe.ch:147661 2023-08-20T04:04:46+02:00 ’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century Achermann, Dania 2020-09-02 https://boris.unibe.ch/147661/ http://www.eshs.org/-Events-News-.html?lang=en eng eng https://boris.unibe.ch/147661/ info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Achermann, Dania (2 September 2020). ’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century (Unpublished). In: 9th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science (ESHS). Bologna. 31.08.-03.09.2020. 550 Earth sciences & geology 900 History 940 History of Europe 970 History of North America info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceObject info:eu-repo/semantics/draft NonPeerReviewed 2020 ftunivbern 2023-07-31T22:02:18Z In the 19th and until the mid-20th century, European glaciology was a field science dominated by geological questions and characterised by a strong focus on glacier volume and dynamics. Observing and measuring volume and behaviour, as well as monitoring and mapping of glaciers were main objectives of glaciological expeditions. The knowledge gained from field work in the alps were transferred and expanded in the Arctic. After World War II, this began to change. Physicist and chemists developed a stronger interest in glaciers and ice, and set up a novel field of ice core research, characterised by laboratory studies of ice samples. The introduction of mathematical flow models, new instruments such as special radiation counters and ice drills, as well as a new interest in the relationship between glacial ice and climate history, led to a new kind of physical-chemical glaciology. However, this technology-intensive laboratory work has neither replaced nor marginalised traditional field research but expanded the range of research practice, approaches and questions in glaciology and led to a “close cooperation between the geochemist and the field glaciologist”. This contribution will shed light on the reasons of this diversification of glaciological practice by analysing the role of instruments, the shifts of epistemological interests, and the influence of regional as well as global politics. Conference Object Arctic ice core BORIS (Bern Open Repository and Information System, University of Bern) Arctic |
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BORIS (Bern Open Repository and Information System, University of Bern) |
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English |
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550 Earth sciences & geology 900 History 940 History of Europe 970 History of North America |
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550 Earth sciences & geology 900 History 940 History of Europe 970 History of North America Achermann, Dania ’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
topic_facet |
550 Earth sciences & geology 900 History 940 History of Europe 970 History of North America |
description |
In the 19th and until the mid-20th century, European glaciology was a field science dominated by geological questions and characterised by a strong focus on glacier volume and dynamics. Observing and measuring volume and behaviour, as well as monitoring and mapping of glaciers were main objectives of glaciological expeditions. The knowledge gained from field work in the alps were transferred and expanded in the Arctic. After World War II, this began to change. Physicist and chemists developed a stronger interest in glaciers and ice, and set up a novel field of ice core research, characterised by laboratory studies of ice samples. The introduction of mathematical flow models, new instruments such as special radiation counters and ice drills, as well as a new interest in the relationship between glacial ice and climate history, led to a new kind of physical-chemical glaciology. However, this technology-intensive laboratory work has neither replaced nor marginalised traditional field research but expanded the range of research practice, approaches and questions in glaciology and led to a “close cooperation between the geochemist and the field glaciologist”. This contribution will shed light on the reasons of this diversification of glaciological practice by analysing the role of instruments, the shifts of epistemological interests, and the influence of regional as well as global politics. |
format |
Conference Object |
author |
Achermann, Dania |
author_facet |
Achermann, Dania |
author_sort |
Achermann, Dania |
title |
’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
title_short |
’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
title_full |
’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
title_fullStr |
’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
title_full_unstemmed |
’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
title_sort |
’a strong back and love for snow and ice’: diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://boris.unibe.ch/147661/ http://www.eshs.org/-Events-News-.html?lang=en |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic ice core |
genre_facet |
Arctic ice core |
op_source |
Achermann, Dania (2 September 2020). ’A strong back and love for snow and ice’: Diversification in glaciological research from the 19th to the 20th century (Unpublished). In: 9th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science (ESHS). Bologna. 31.08.-03.09.2020. |
op_relation |
https://boris.unibe.ch/147661/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
_version_ |
1774715159257808896 |