Charles Chree and his work on geomagnetism

Abstract

After having gained distinction as an authority on the mathematical theory of elasticity, Charles Chree's interests were turned to the study of geomagnetism by his appointment, at the age of 33, as Superintendent of the Kew Observatory. There he gained an enduring place in the list of distinguished British contributors to geomagnetism. His work is briefly reviewed, particularly in its relation to that of his contemporary fellow-workers in the subject. He did outstanding service, in addition to maintaining the regular activities of his observatory at a high level, in discussing the data obtained there and on four Antarctic expeditions. Though critical of current physical theories of the geomagnetic variations, and though he himself refrained from speculation on the physical causes of geomagnetic disturbance, his examination of the theoretical views of Maunder and Arrhenius, by the discussion of the magnetic data, led him to his finest achievements.