Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Library

Father of Satellite Meteorology

Verner E. Suomi, 1915-1995

Father of Satellite Meteorology

Legacy

Suomi’s accomplishments are significant for their breadth and ingenuity alone, but what makes them truly outstanding is their universal impact on our international society. Usually a significant technical advance affects only a limited area of human activity. Those described here have led to innovations that have affected everyone on the planet. The protection of lives and property has been one outcome. Another has been the savings of energy achieved in the multitude of industries whose operations can be efficiently planned only through anticipation of the weather. Furthermore, in these environmentally conscious times, it has become increasingly important to have the continuous global record offered by the Spin-Scan Cloud Camera to monitor natural and human variations in our atmosphere.

Verner Suomi has given us primary tools with which these and many other problems can be understood and turned to human advantage.
By W. Paul Menzel, excerpted from EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 76, no. 45, 1995. Posted with AGU permission.

He is remembered by his colleagues for his unmatchable energy and the power he unleashed through genuinely inspired interest in solving important problems for humanity.

A Man for All Seasons

A brief memorial volume produced at the Space Science and Engineering Center dedicated to Professor Suomi’s life and far-reaching influence.

View the full text here.

Articles

Articles and news releases which document Suomi’s work and legacy

  • Menzel, W. Paul. The beginnings of satellite meteorological remote sensing 50 years ago, 7th Prof. Satish Shawan Lecture, February 7th, 2011. Copyright Indian Meteorological Society-Ahmedabad Chapter, reprinted with permission.
  • Bagne, Paul. Interview: Verner Suomi, Omni, July 1989, pp. 60-67,94. Copyright Omni, reprinted with permission.
  • Profiles in Science, Naval Research Reviews, v. 34, no. 1, 1982, p. 51. Copyright Naval Research Reviews, reprinted with permission.
  • Larsen, James A. Badger Space Researchers Probe Beyond the Sunset , Wisconsin Alumnus, v. 65, no. 3, 1963, pp. 12-14. Copyright On Wisconsin (formerly Wisconsin Alumnus), reprinted with permission.
  • Satellite Will Carry Hopes of UW Scientists, Wisconsin Alumnus, v. 60, no. 12, 1959, p. 29. Copyright On Wisconsin (formerly Wisconsin Alumnus), reprinted with permission.
  • Montgomery, Fran. Inside a Satellite, Wisconsin Alumnus, v. 59, no. 8, 1957, pp. 15, 27. Copyright On Wisconsin (formerly Wisconsin Alumnus), reprinted with permission.
  • Discovery: Educating for the 21st Century, Wisconsin Foundation Annual Report, 1990. Copyright University of Wisconsin Foundation, reprinted with permission.
  • Wineke, William. Weather on Instant Replay, Wisconsin State Journal, May 29, 1973. Copyright Wisconsin State Journal, reprinted with permission.
  • Schultz, Kaye. Suomi: Super Weather Forecaster, Capital Times, May 23, 1986. Copyright Wisconsin State Journal, reprinted with permission.
  • Know Your Madisonian, Wisconsin State Journal, May 15, 1966. copyright Wisconsin State Journal,reprinted with permission.
  • Hobson, Mark. Satellite Anniversary Marks 50 years of Studying Climate From Space. University of Wisconsin-Madison News, October 13, 2009. Copyright University of Wisconsin-Madison News, reprinted with permission.
  • Lewis, John M.; Martin, David W.; Rabin, Robert M., and Moosmüller, Hans. Suomi: Pragmatic Visionary. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, October 2009. Copyright American Meteorological Society, reprinted with permission.
  • Menzel, W. Paul and Phillips, Jean M. Satellite Meteorology, How it all Started, 50 Years Ago. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, October 2009. Copyright American Meteorological Society, reprinted with permission.
  • Ackerman Steven A. and Martin, Jonathan. Ask the Weather Guys: Satellites used to study Earth’s weather for 50 years. Wisconsin State Journal, 10 October 2009. copyright Wisconsin State Journal, reprinted with permission.
  • Vanguard Fails to Achieve Orbit, New York Times, June 23, 1959.
  • Finney, John W. Explorer VII is Put Into Orbit to Get Radiation Data; Army Scientists Launch a 91.5-Pound Explorer VII Satellite, New York Times, Oct. 14, 1959.
  • Plumb, Robert K. Satellite Finds Clue to Weather; Explorer VII’s Data Related Heat Earth Gives Off to Air Pressure in Space, New York Times, Sept. 27, 1960.

Obituaries and Memorials

  • Stout, David. Verner E. Suomi, 79, Pioneer in Weather Forecasting, Dies, New York Times, August 1, 1995.
  • Obituary, Wisconsin State Journal, August 1, 1995. copyright Wisconsin State Journal, reprinted with permission
  • Devitt, Terry. Suomi’s View of World Changed Us All, Wisconsin Week, August 30, 1995, p. 5. Copyright Wisconsin Week, reprinted with permission.
  • Gregory, Terri ; Fox, Robert ; Smith, William. Obituary, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v. 76, no. 10, 1995, pp. 1836-1837. Copyright American Meteorological Society, reprinted with permission.
  • O’Brien, B. ; Gregory, Terri ; Devitt, Terry. Suomi Leaves Monumental Scientific Legacy, Communications Timeout, September 1995. Copyright Space Science and Engineering Center.
  • Gregory, Terri ; Johnson, Donald R., Verner Edward Suomi 1915-1995, Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineers, v. 8, 1996, pp. 251-254. Reprinted with permission from Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, volume 8, 1996, the National Academy of Sciences, courtesy of the National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.
  • UW ‘Science Giant’ Dies, Wisconsin State Journal, July 31, 1995. Copyright Wisconsin State Journal, reprinted with permission.
  • Gregory, Terri. Verner Edward Suomi (6 December 1915-30 July 1995), Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, v. 142, no. 3, 1998, pp. 500-509. Copyright American Philosophical Society, reprinted with permission.

50 Years of Meteorological Satellite Experiments

Video recording of talks given at a reception in 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the successful launch of Explorer 7. Featured speakers are: