Earth and Planetary Sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Edward Norton Lorenz

U.S.A. / May 23, 1917-2008
Meteorologist; Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A meteorologist who established the theoretical basis of weather and climate predictability, as well as the basis for computer-aided atmospheric physics and meteorology. He made his boldest scientific achievement in discovering "deterministic chaos," a principle which has profoundly influenced a wide range of basic sciences and brought about one of the most dramatic changes in mankind's view of nature since Sir Isaac Newton.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

1917	Born in Connecticut, U.S.A.
1938	A.B. (Mathematics), Dartmouth College
1948	Sc. D. (Meteorology), M.I.T.
1946-1955	Research Staff, M.I.T.
1962	Professor, M.I.T.
1981	Professor Emeritus, M.I.T.

AWARDS AND HONORS

1969	Carl Gustaf Rossby Research Medal, American Meteorological Society
1973	Symons Memorial Gold Medal, Royal Mateorological Society
1975	Fellow, National Academy of Sciences (U.S.A.)
1981	Member, Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
1983	Crafoord Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
1984	Honorary Member, Royal Mateorological Society

MAJOR WORKS

1955	Available potential energy and the maintenance of the general circulation. Tellus. Vol.7
1963	Deterministic nonperiodic flow. Journal of Atmospheric Sciences. Vol.20
1967	The nature and theory of the general circulation of atmosphere. World Meteorological Organization. No.218
1969	Three approaches to atmospheric predictability. Bull. American Meteorological Society. Vol.50
1976	Nondeterministic theories of climate change. Quaternary Research. Vol.6
1990	Can chaos and intransitivity lead to interannual variability? Tellus. Vol.42A

[Back to Top]