Conceiving Meteorology as the exact science of the atmosphere: Vilhelm Bjerknes's paper of 1904 as a milestone

Abstract

In January 1904 the Norwegian physicist Vilhelm Bjerknes published his seminal paper Das Problem der Wettervorhersage, betrachtet von Standpunkt der Mechanik und Physik in the Meteorologische Zeitschrift. Over seven pages Bjerknes developed the idea of a mathematical model of the atmosphere's dynamics based solely on physical and mechanical laws. Although his model was less practicable in those days, so that his concept was slow to find acceptance in the field of meteorology, we know today that the idea was revolutionary nonetheless.