Arthur Berson

Arthur Josef Stanislaus Berson (August 6, 1859 – December 3, 1942) was a German meteorologist and pioneer of aerology who was a native of Neu Sandez, Galicia (now Nowy Sącz, Poland).

After visiting the gymnasium in Neu Sandez Berson studied philology in Vienna. He then studied meteorology and geography in Berlin, where he had as instructors Ferdinand von Richthofen and Wilhelm von Bezold. In 1890 he was an assistant to meteorologist Richard Aßmann at the Meteorological Institute in Berlin. During this period of time he was also secretary of the "Deutschen Verein zur Förderung der Luftschiffahrt", the first aeronautical organization in Germany. In 1900 he became "Hauptobservator" at the newly founded Aeronautics Observatory in Berlin-Tegel, and was later stationed at the Lindenberg Aeronautical Observatory in Beeskow. From 1896 to 1899 Berson was editor of the magazine "Zeitschrift für Luftfahrt und Physik der Atmosphäre" (Magazine for Aviation and Physics of the Atmosphere).

Berson is largely known for his scientific hot-air balloon expeditions. On December 4, 1894 he ascended to a then-record altitude of 9,155 meters aboard the hydrogen balloon "Phoenix". On January 10, 1901, with artillery officer Alfred Hildebrandt (1870-1949), he travelled from Berlin to Markaryd, Sweden in a balloon, thus being the first to cross the Baltic Sea by air. On January 10, 1902 with balloonist Hermann Elias (1876-1955), he set the German long-distance ballooning record, as the two men journeyed from Berlin to Poltava in the central Ukraine (1,470 kilometers in 30 hours).

During the 1890s he was involved in international "simultaneous ascents" with balloonists from other nations. These ascents were performed in order to study variances of climatic conditions above different locations in Europe, to work to bring about uniformity in methods of observation, and to create increased cooperation among nations in the new science of aerology.

On July 31,1901, with meteorologist Reinhard Süring, he took his most celebrated ascent. Starting from Templehof-Berlin aboard the "Preussen", Berson and Süring ultimately reached a height of 10,800 meters above sea level. At 6000 m. they required compressed oxygen, at 10,000 m. both scientists were rendered unconscious, and after regaining consciousness were able to land their balloon near Briesen, 7.5 hours after their flight began. This record ascent had enormous scientific importance because there was now the ability to do a direct comparison between data gathered from a high altitude manned flight and information taken from unmanned sounding balloons. Scientists such as Aßmann and Léon Teisserenc de Bort now felt confident of the climatic data previously taken from unmanned balloons. Prior to this, there was a element of doubt due to possible distortions caused by the influence of sunlight.

Another important aspect of high altitude flight concerned physiological problems that balloonists would experience when exposed to conditions at great heights, and Berson assisted physiologists Hermann von Schrötter and Nathan Zuntz with pioneer experiments in aviation medicine. This involved high altitude balloon ascents with the two physiologists, and extensive studies of decompression sickness done with a pneumatic chamber located at the "Jüdischen Krankenhaus" (Jewish Hospital) in Berlin.

Other significant accomplishments by Berson included climatic studies with weather kites off of Svalbard, pioneer meteorological observations from German East Africa, and aerological research over the Amazon Basin.

References

* "This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia."
* [http://saekular.pik-potsdam.de/en/allgemein/ballonfahrt_en.htm Süring and Berson's Balloon Ascenton 31st July 1901]