Arne Bjerhammar- a personal summary of his academic deeds

• Published in: Journal of Geodetic Science
• Main Author: Sjöberg, Lars
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Högskolan Väst, Avdelningen för Matematik, Data- och Lantmäteriteknik 2021
• Subjects: Arne Bjerhammar; North Star Order; Physical Geodesy; Political relaxation; History of Ideas; Idé- och lärdomshistoria; North Star; Fennoscandia
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-17019; https://doi.org/10.1515/jogs-2020-0117

Arne Bjerhammar is well known worldwide mainly for his research in physical geodesy but also for introducing a new matrix algebra with generalized inverses applied in geodetic adjustment. Less known are his developments in geodetic engineering and contributions to satellite and relativistic geodesy as well as studies on the relation between the Fennoscandia land uplift and the regional gravity low. Most likely part of his research has contributed to worldwide political relaxation during the cold war, which deed was honored by a certificate of achievement awarded by the Department of Research of the US army as well as the North Star Order by the King of Sweden. Arne Bjerhammar’s pioneer scientific production, in particular on a world geodetic system, towards what would become GPS, as well as relativistic geodesy, is still of great interest among the worldwide geodetic community, while the memories and spirit along his outstanding academic deeds have more or less fainted away from his home university (KTH) only a decade after he passed away.