Ekholm  Nils

(09.10.1848 – 05.04.1923)

Swedish meteorologist, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Born in Smedzhebakene in Dalarna, in the family of a pharmacist. In September 1869, he entered Uppsala University, in 1876 received a Ph.D. degree, in 1887 a master’s degree in PhD.

From 1876 to 1881 Ekholm worked at the Meteorological Department in Uppsala. In 1881-1883 he participated in the Swedish polar expedition to Spitsbergen, which was organized in connection with the 1st International Polar Year. Initially, Ekholm was responsible only for meteorological studies, but then he was appointed head of the expedition after his predecessor, F. Malmberg, was eliminated due to illness. One of the expedition participants was a Swedish engineer and aeronaut S.А. André.

On his return from the Ekholm expedition during 1884–1890 continued to work in the Meteorological Department, combining it with the teaching of meteorology at Uppsala University.

From 1890, he worked as an assistant at the Swedish Meteorological Institute in Stockholm (one of the previous institutions of the current Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, currently located in Norrköping). He became a professor and head of the institute in 1913, retiring at the age of 70 in 1918.

Ekholm planned to participate in the expedition Andre in a balloon, participated in the preparation, but refused to fly, criticizing the construction of the balloon and doubting the reliability of its tightness. He was replaced by Knut Frenkel.

Ekholm is considered the founder of the Swedish storm warning system, which he began while working at the Meteorological Institute. The creation of the system began in 1905 with the construction of 27 storm warning stations on the west coast of Sweden. The network expanded during the following years, until, finally, it covered the entire Swedish coastline by 1913.

Ekholm was a supporter of anthropogenic climate control. He noted that with existing coal burning rates, the concentration of atmospheric CO₂ can be doubled, which “will undoubtedly cause an obvious increase in the Earth’s average temperature. By adjusting the intensity of coal burning, it is possible to prevent the onset of a new ice age”.

As we see now, mankind faces the opposite task: to prevent global warming.

Cape and a small bay in the east of Bille Fjord, West Spitsbergen Island. The coordinates are 78° 34.8'N   16° 34.0'E.

The mountain is 590 m high in the south of the central part of Nathorsta Land, the island of Western Spitsbergen. Coordinates 77º 37.7'N   15° 23.5'E.