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Helmut Erich Landsberg was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in February 1906. While in Germany, he went to college at the University of Frankfurt and received his Ph.D. in 1930 with his dissertation focusing on seismographic records. During his early career, he focused his research on earthquakes. He became a director of the Taunus Observatory of Geophysics and Meteorology at the University of Frankfurt, Germany. http://www.met.psu.edu/dept/aboutus/his.html
His American Beginnings
In 1934, when he first came to the United States, he initiated course work and research in geophysics and meteorology at the Pennsylvania State University, where he also initiated the first graduate seminar in the United States on bioclimatic problems. His interest in meteorology grew during the 1930's and his first articles dealt with the importance of weather to aviation. Dr. Landsberg then published papers on atmospheric suspensions culminating in a monograph on atmospheric condensation nuclei, which normally aid cloud formation. His work drew attention to their biological effects, as well as meteorological, establishing the importance of microscopic particles in air pollution and provided the first important work on the retention of these tiny particles in the human respiratory tract. Dr. Landsberg's studies of the meteorological effects of airborne particles laid the foundation for later research by other scientists. Due to his studies in this field, he was appointed to as a member of President Truman's Air Pollution Committee in 1949, which laid the groundwork for much of the current air pollution legislation.
Climatological Work
Helmut Landsberg's contributions to the field of climatology are considerable. As early as 1941 in his book on physical climatology, he began to raise the status of climatology from one of geographic classification to a well-developed applied physical science. This book stressed, for the first time in English, the use of statistical analysis in climatology. His work over the next twenty years elevated the study of climatology to the quantitative science it is today. In 1941 he was appointed to the faculty of the University of Chicago. During World War II, Dr. Landsberg headed a military climatological project that brought climatic considerations into the planning process of military strategy. He produced strategic summaries of the climatological conditions for much of Europe for use by the Air Force. This work established the operational necessity for weather reconnaissance to support military missions. After the war, Dr. Landsberg received official commendation by the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff for his statistical weather analyses. Beginning in 1964, Dr. Landsberg served continuously as the editor in chief of the World Study of Climatology through 15 volumes.
Dr. Landsberg's expertise in climatology and atmospheric aerosols led to a significant analyses of man-made climatic modifications in urban areas. He instigated a unique study of urban climatic change in Columbia, Maryland. By commencing a project involving the measurement of the micrometeorological properties of the area before any land development in the area had started, Dr. Landsberg seized upon the opportunity to document man's effect on his environment through urbanization. He also linked falling pressure to the onset of non-induced labor in childbirth. http://www.weatherchannel.com.au/WWSM/images/0003/GlobalImages/30945.pdf
Administrative Work
He was Director of the Geophysics Directorate, USAF Cambridge Research Center from 1951 to 1954. Then, as Director of the United States Weather Bureau's Office of Climatology, from 1954 to 1967, he reorganized it and the National Weather Records Center (now NOAA's National Climatic Data Center) by consolidating weather data processing activities and introducing electronic computer methods. This also led to the creation of the State Climatologist and the Area Climatologist program. http://weather.nmsu.edu/USClimat.htm He advanced the practical use of weather data by stimulating cooperation between the U.S. Weather Bureau and universities and initiated the practice of locating state climatologists on university campuses.
Educational Work
His teachings at Penn State University began in 1934-35, when twenty-three students took a one-credit course in weather forecasting. Daily weather maps were drawn and forecasts issued based on methods of air mass analysis, which at that time had not yet been officially introduced into the public weather service of the United States. In the fall of 1935 two new three-credit courses on General Meteorology and Physical Climatology were made available under Landsberg. http://www.met.psu.edu/dept/aboutus/his.html In 1966, he joined the faculty of the University of Maryland and organized the Graduate Program in Meteorology, commissioned to grant M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. He served as Director of the program and later as Director of Maryland's Institute for Fluid Dynamics and Applied Mathematics (IFDAM). In 1976, Dr. Landsberg was appointed Professor Emeritus, coincident with the establishment of the formal Department of Meteorology, and the reorganization of IFDAM into the Institute for Physical Sciences and Technology (IPST). Dr. Landsberg continued to be a catalyst for many joint affairs involving scientists, educators, and students on and off the campus until his death in 1985.
His Honors
Honors received by Helmut Landsberg include: the Outstanding Achievement in Bioclimatology Award (1983), the Charles Franklin Brooks Award (1972), and the Cleveland Abbey Award (1983), bestowed by the American Meteorological Society; the Wegner Medal (1980) bestowed by the German Meteorological Society; the William Bowie Medal (1978), bestowed by the American Geophysical Union; the IMO Prize (1979), bestowed by the World Meteorological Organization; the W.F. Peterson Foundation Gold Medal (1983); the Solco W. Trump Award (1985) by the Enviroscience Foundation; and the National Medal of Science bestowed by President Ronald Reagan in 1985.
His Books
Physical Climatology, first written in 1941.
Urban Climate, last published in 1981. http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=0124359604
Weather and Health: An Introduction to Biometeorology, last published in 1969. http://www.campusi.com/author_Helmut_Erich,_Landsberg.htm
Weather Climate and Human Settlements, last published in 1976. http://www.campusi.com/author_Helmut_Erich,_Landsberg.htm
Eponymous Honors
After passing away December 6, 1985, honors were created in his name in the field of meteorology.
1986
His eponymous award created in 1986 is presented to all observers who have completed 60 years of service as cooperative observers. http://www.history.noaa.gov/legacy/coop.html2006
The American Meteorological Society instituted a new Helmut E. Landsberg Award in his honor. As stated in the Bulletin of the AMS:"The AMS recognizes the importance of urbanization in meteorology, climatology, and hydrology and the resulting varied impacts on urban societies. AMS seeks to encourage and support public interest and awareness of this aspect of meteorology with an award in the name of Helmut Erich Landsberg (1906-1985). This award will recognize an individual or team instrumental in the development and advancement of our understanding of the urban atmosphere through measurements, modeling, improved meteorological or air quality forecasting capabilities, advances in identifying and quantifying beneficial and adverse impacts in urban areas, or in recognition of service or applications in the field.
"It is fitting that this new award be 'The Helmut E. Landsberg Award'. Landsberg has left a legacy of accomplishments that epitomizes innovative contributions, achievements, and leadership in urban atmospheric research."
References
External links
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