Bjerknes

Bjerknes is a Norwegian surname associated with researchers who made foundational contributions to meteorology and oceanography, most notably Vilhelm Bjerknes and his son Jacob Bjerknes. Their work helped establish modern weather forecasting and the study of climate variability.

Vilhelm Bjerknes (1862–1951) was a physicist and meteorologist who laid the foundations of dynamic meteorology and modern weather forecasting. He helped organize the Bergen School of Meteorology, which systematized weather analysis, introduced the polar front theory describing how interacting air masses form fronts, and advanced the idea that forecasts could be produced by applying physical laws to atmospheric motion.

Jacob Bjerknes (1897–1975) contributed to ocean–atmosphere interaction and climate dynamics. He helped explain the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the feedback between tropical Pacific sea-surface temperatures, winds, and oceanic waves, often described as the Bjerknes feedback. His work linked atmospheric patterns with oceanic processes that drive regional climate variability.

In scientific literature, the Bjerknes surname is most closely associated with these two figures and their roles in advancing our understanding of atmospheric dynamics and climate systems. The name remains a notable part of the history of meteorology and oceanography.