Emil Bessels

Emil Bessel ( born June 2, 1847 in Heidelberg, † March 30, 1888 in Stuttgart ) was a German naturalist and Arctic driver.

Life

He studied in Jena and in his native city of science and medicine and entered 1869 Peter 's instigation the steamer Albert on his first Arctic voyage to study the Eastern Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya and explore Gilliland. Only the first object has been achieved since the unfavorable ice conditions did not allow for an exploration of Gilliland. However important hydrographic work and a full set of Seetiefenmessungen were made and for the first time demonstrated the existence of the Gulf Stream east of Spitsbergen.

1871 Bessel was appointed to the United States to take over the scientific leadership of the North Pole expedition led by Charles Francis Hall. 1871-1873 he was urged before the achieved by any other ship of 82 ° 26 'north latitude in the northern extension of the Smithsundes. However, failed the ship (Polaris ), and all collections were lost. From the direction of the tidal wave and aufgefundenem walnut driftwood closed Bessels on a northern context of this sea part to the Bering Sea. Bessels then worked for nine years for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

Works

In addition to articles in German journals and bulletins of the United States geological and geographical survey Bessels wrote:

• Scientific results of the United States Arctic expedition. Steamer Polaris. C. F. Commanding Hall, Volume 1, physical observations, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1876
• A few words about the Inuit ( Eskimo ) of the Smith - Sunde together with remarks about Inuit skull. Smithsonian Institution, Washington in 1875
• The American North Pole expedition. Engelmann, Leipzig 1879