WILD, HEINRICH

(b. Uster, Zurich canton, Switzerland, 17 December 1833; d. Zurich, Switzerland, 5 September 1902)

meteorology.

Wild studied at the universities or Königsberg and Heidelberg, and in 1857 received the Ph.D. at Zurich. In November 1858 he was appointed professor of physics and director of the observatory at the University of Bern. Ten years later he was invited to join the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg and to become director of its Central Astrophysical Observatory. In 1876 he founded the magnetometeorological observatory at Pavlovsk and remained its director until 1895.

Wild was an active meteorologist who played a major part in the development of the science in the latter half of the nineteenth century. He improved several instruments, including the anemograph, anemometer, atmometers, barometer, rain gauges, of thermograph, several forms of theodolite, instruments for measurement of terrestrial magnetism, polarization photometer, and polaristrobometer. His modifications of these instruments significantly improved techniques for weather observation. He also was directly responsible for significantly extending the network of meteorological observation stations–almost as many in Switzerland as in Russia.

Wild was a member of several international meteorological commissions, including the International Polar Commission (1879–1891), and was largely responsible for the preparation of their reports. He also served on international commissions on the meter and on the reform of chronometric methods.

Wild wrote extensively, in both German and Russian, primarily on meteorological instruments and improved techniques for meteorological observations.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wild’s writings include “Études métrologiques,” in Mémories de l’Académie impériale des sciences de St.-Pétersbourg, 7th ser., 18 (1872), no. 8; Bestimmung des Werthes der Siemen’ schen Widerstands Einheit in absolutem electromagnetischen Masse (St. Petersburg, 1884); and Das Konstantinow’ sche und magnetische Observatorium in Pawlowski (St. Petersburg, 1895).

Asit K. Biswas

Margaret R. Biswas