Born:
Feb. 1, 1905, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.
Died:
June 4, 1967, Washington, D.C. (aged 62)
Founder:
International Geophysical Year
Subjects Of Study:
atmosphere
ionosphere
Role In:
International Geophysical Year

Lloyd Viel Berkner (born Feb. 1, 1905, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.—died June 4, 1967, Washington, D.C.) American physicist and engineer who first measured the extent, including height and density, of the ionosphere (ionized layers of the Earth’s atmosphere), leading to a better understanding of radio wave propagation. He later turned his attention to investigating the origin and development of the Earth’s atmosphere. In 1950 the need for data on a worldwide scale led him to propose the International Geophysical Year, a cooperative study of the Earth, which was carried out by the International Council of Scientific Unions while he was president ...(100 of 201 words)