Life and achievements
Early life
Carl-Gustaf Rossby was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1898 in a family that encouraged him to learn. Rossby's early education and interest were in mathematics and natural sciences, incredibly fluid mechanics. This interest led him to Stockholm University, where he continued his education, studied mathematical physics, and received his Filosofie Licentiate degree in 1925. His early career was shaped by his years at the Geophysical Institute in Bergen, Norway, where he was exposed to the teachings of Vilhelm Bjerknes, a great meteorologist. During this period, Rossby got involved in the newly emerging field of atmospheric science and the polar front theory, forming the basis of most of his future research.
His early academic training and practical meteorology work at the SMHI prepared him for a career encompassing oceanography and meteorology. He went to the United States in 1926 as a fellow to study meteorology, and this was the starting point of his affiliation with American scientific organizations. His work in Washington, D.C., also allowed him to become a leading expert in atmospheric turbulence and set the stage for his future discoveries in large-scale atmospheric motions.
Legacy
Carl-Gustaf Rossby's work in meteorology did not end with his death; he paved the way for the advancement of science from descriptive to quantitative. His work on identifying Rossby waves revolutionized meteorologists' thinking about the dynamics of the atmosphere, the jet stream, and weather patterns at mid-latitudes. These waves are still crucial in the current weather models to help meteorologists determine large-scale weather systems and their dynamics.
Rossby's contribution was not only theoretical; he also contributed a lot to the practical application of meteorology. His contribution to the formation of weather services for civil aviation made a significant impact on the safety of aviation and also helped in the improvement of weather prediction. In addition, his contribution to the training of meteorologists during the Second World War helped to establish the current weather prediction methods in both military and civil fields.
Rossby also taught many students who later became leading meteorologists and thus passed on the legacy to the next generation of scholars. His meteorological, oceanographical, and atmospheric chemical background provided a new perspective on the fluid envelopes of the Earth and how human beings were altering the atmosphere. The creation of the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal by the American Meteorological Society is a testimony that his work remains relevant even today.
Milestone moments
Jun 19, 1925
Earned Filosofie Licentiate degree in Mathematical Physics
Carl-Gustaf Rossby received his Filosofie Licentiate degree in mathematical physics from Stockholm University in 1925. This milestone can be considered the final accomplishment of his early academic education and paved the way for his subsequent success in meteorology and oceanography.
Rossby's degree reflected his profound knowledge of mathematics, which he used in further atmospheric dynamics research. His passion for fluid mechanics, which he learned from Vilhelm Bjerknes, would lead him to study atmospheric dynamics and weather systems.
Jun 6, 1926
Relocated to the United States to take up a Research Fellowship
Rossby went to the United States in 1926 to work at the U.S. Weather Bureau under an American-Scandinavian Foundation fellowship. He aimed to introduce the polar front theory to American weather prediction, which began his career in U.S. meteorology.
At this time, Rossby worked on improving civil aviation meteorological services and started working on the theoretical aspects of atmospheric turbulence, forming the basis of his future work.
Nov 1, 1940
Identified Rossby Waves
Carl-Gustaf Rossby first described and defined the atmospheric features today called Rossby waves in 1940. These large-scale waves in the mid-latitudes helped to understand the dynamics of the jet stream and the movement of weather systems across the globe.
Rossby made a remarkable discovery on these waves that helped him understand the fundamental dynamics of the world's weather system. He is the father of modern weather forecasting, and his work still forms the basis of today's weather predictions.
May 16, 1943
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Carl-Gustaf Rossby joined the National Academy of Sciences in 1943, an excellent achievement for any scientist in the United States. He was elected for his many achievements in meteorology, especially his research on atmospheric motions and the creation of meteorological models.
This honor emphasized Rossby's increasing importance in the scientific community and the application of meteorological science in society, such as weather prediction in the Second World War.