OhCoUBP0029 Guide to the Robert W. Gerdel Papers Finding aid prepared by Archives Staff The Ohio State University. Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program.
134 University Archives2700 Kenny RoadColumbus, Ohio 43210-10
2017 Finding aid encoded by Riley Coulter using the OhioLINK EAD Application in 2014 Finding aid written in English Overview of the Collection The Ohio State University. Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program. Gerdel, Robert W. Robert W. Gerdel Papers 3.5 cubic feet The Robert W. Gerdel Papers consist mostly of photographs and other documentation regarding his career in the Cold Regions Research. The collection also includes materials regarding crop science, his early research interest. RG.56.0022 The records are in English Ohio State University Archives Building1926-1986 Biography of Robert W. Gerdel

Robert W. Gerdel was a leading biochemist in the fields of soil, snow, ice, and permafrost. He was born on October 4th, 1901 in St. Louis Missouri. He received a B.S. in Soil Physics/Chemistry (1923) at Michigan State University, and later, both an M.S. in Biochemistry (1925) and Ph.D. in Biostatistics/Organic Chemistry (1929) at The Ohio State University. Between 1940 and 1950, Gerdel conducted research for a number of organizations (including Muskingum Climatic Research Center, Sierra Snow Laboratory, The US Weather Bureau, and The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers) on subjects such as soil conservation, precipitation/evaporation on land and water surfaces, snow-pack thermodynamics, snow-melt runoff, and snow hydrology. In 1951, he was named Chief of Environmental Research at the U.S. Army Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment in Wilmette, Illinois, and in 1960, transferred to the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Scope and Content

The Robert W. Gerdel Papers consist of documents and images that document Gerdel's career in cold regions research as well as his earlier research interest in crop science.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I: Biographical/PersonalSeries II: Research TopicsSeries III: Agricultural/Crop ScienceSeries IV: Log BooksSeries V: PhotographsSeries VI: ArtifactsPreferred Citation

[Box number, folder number], Robert W. Gerdel Papers, Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, RG 56.22, The Ohio State University.

Acquisition Information

The Robert W. Gerdel Papers were acquired from Charles E. Gerdel, Robert's son.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:Cold regionsCrop sciencePersons:Gerdel, Robert W.Detailed Description of The Collection

Series I: Biographical/Personal1954-1986

see additional bio housed with Series VI: Artifacts: snow pressure gauge, in Box 4.

11Biographical Information1959, 1963, 1965, 1975054-540.3-112Correspondence1954, 1966, 1968-69, 1971-73, 1975, 1977-82, 1984-85054-540.3-113North Counties Hydro-Electric Co. vs. USA: Testimony of Dr. GerdelJune 29, 1961054-540.3-114Northwest Territories License1955, 1957-1959054-540.3-115The Ohio State University, Agricultural Technical Institute1973-74054-540.3-116Professional Engineer Registration1963-64, 1973-76, 1981054-540.3-117Professional Memberships/Organizations: American Meteorological Society1960, 1963-65, 1969-1970, 1974-75, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1986054-540.3-118Professional Memberships/Organizations: American Society of Civil Engineers1927, 1945, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1971-72, 1979054-540.3-119Professional Memberships/Organizations: British Glaciology Society1981, 1983, 1985054-540.3-1110Professional Memberships/Organizations: Institute of Environmental Science1957, 1965, 1976-77054-540.3-1111Professional Membership/Organizations: Sigma XI. Dartmouth Chapter1964, 1985054-540.3-1112Professional Memberships/Organizations: Weather Modifications Associations1968, 1983054-540.3-1Series II: Research Topics: Agricultural/Crop Science1925-1943113"Effect of Fertilizers and Date Planting on the Physiological Development on the Corn Plant" PhD Dissertation, The Ohio State University1929054-540.3-1114"Genetic Studies of Soybean Seed-Coat Colors." MS Thesis, The Ohio State University1925054-540.3-1115Publications by Robert W. Gerdel and Associates1926-1954054-540.3-1116Publications/Articles by Robert W. Gerdel, re: corn and other agricultural topics1926-28, 1931-33, 1937, 1939-41054-540.3-1117Publications/Articles by Robert W. Gerdel: Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station1926-29, 1931-33054-540.3-1118Publications/Articles by Robert W. Gerdel: Soil Conservation Service1937-1941, 1943054-540.3-1Series III: Research Topics: Cold Regions Science1943-1985119Alaska Pipeline: Clippings1972-78054-540.3-1120Alaska Pipeline: 1974 Talk1974054-540.3-1121Alaska Pipeline: Publications1971, 1975-1977054-540.3-1122Alaska Pipeline: Publications1976054-540.3-1123Alaska Pipeline: Publications1961, 1971, 1975054-540.3-1124AMC Handbook of the environment, Chapter 9-31967054-540.3-1125Antarctica: Clippings1962, 1979054-540.3-1126Arctic: Clippings/Publications1952-56, 1965, 1984054-540.3-1127Frazil Ice: Fox River, IllinoisFebruary 1, 1960054-540.3-1128Frazil Ice: Fox River IllinoisFebruary 1, 1960054-540.3-1129Greenland1952, 1956, 1961, 1967, 1974054-540.3-1130History of Snow Research1959, 1979, 1986054-540.3-1131Notes. MiscellaneousUndated054-540.3-1132Permafrost1949, 1985054-540.3-1133Publications/Articles by Gerdel re: Cold Regions, Snow, etc1943, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1960-61, 1963, 1968-69054-540.3-1134Publications/SIPRE & CSSL1948, 1950-52, 1954-1955, 1957-1958054-540.3-121Radioisotope Snow Gage: Radiation doses and standards1934-1964054-540.3-222Radioisotope Snow Gage: Radiation doses and standards1934-64054-540.3-223River Ice1979054-540.3-224Snow Drifting Report: Material and Outline1952, 1961-62, 1965-66, 1971054-540.3-225Snow Hydrology1944-45, 1965, 1974, 1977-78, 1980054-540.3-226Snow Plows and Plowed Highway U.S. 401952-1953054-540.3-227Transmission of Water Through Snow1954, 1973-74054-540.3-228Tree Rings and Precipitation1953, 1967-69, 1974054-540.3-229Visibility in the Cold Regions1959, 1964054-540.3-2210Weather Modification Experiments1958-62, 1964, 1967-69054-540.3-2211Weather Modification Experiments1970-74054-540.3-2212Weather Modification: Sigman XI Lecture, Dartmouth College1965054-540.3-2Series IV: Log Books1955-1963213Greenland Photo Log1955054-540.3-2214Greenland Trip Log1955054-540.3-2215Greenland: Photo Log1956054-540.3-2216Greenland: Trip Log1956054-540.3-2217Greenland: Photo Log1957054-540.3-2218Greenland: Trip Log1957054-540.3-2219Greenland: Trip Log1959054-540.3-2220Greenland: Trip Log1963054-540.3-2221Joint Weather Station Trip1954054-540.3-2222UnidentifiedUndated054-540.3-2Series V: Photographs1943-1964 and undated223Access Control InvestigationsUndated054-540.3-2224Alaska1951054-540.3-2225Alaska1961-62054-540.3-2226Alternation MeterUndated054-540.3-2227Army Personnel1960, 1963054-540.3-2228Big Sierra Snow Storm1952054-540.3-2229Camp Century1960-62054-540.3-2230Central Sierra Snow Laboratory (CSSSL)1943-1952054-540.3-2231Central Sierra Snow Laboratory (CSSL)1943-52054-540.3-2232Central Sierra Snow Laboratory (CSSL) StaffUndated054-540.3-2233CRREL SAE Report: Monograph 1-A and IES-AMC Handbook, vol. 1: Figures and photographsUndated054-540.3-2234Construction with Snow, ChurchillUndated054-540.3-2235Cryoconite1956054-540.3-2236Cryoconite1957054-540.3-2237Dye Site, Wind Tunnel Tests1959-60, 1963054-540.3-2238Features and CrevasseUndated054-540.3-2239Fort Churchill1951054-540.3-2240Fox River Ice Jam1960054-540.3-2241Frazil Ice: Fox River, Illinois1960-61054-540.3-2242Gerdel, Robert W1938, 1945054-540.3-2243Glaciers, Ice Islands1954-56054-540.3-2244Glacier Torques and Ice Shelves, Greenland1955054-540.3-2245Glass negatives, 2 unidentifiedUndated054-540.3-2246Goose Bay1954054-540.3-2247Greenland: First Ice Cap TripUndated054-540.3-2248Greenland1954054-540.3-2249Greenland1955054-540.3-2250Greenland1956054-540.3-2251Greenland1957054-540.3-2252Greenland1958054-540.3-231Greenland1959054-540.3-332Greenland1961-62054-540.3-333Hoar FrostUndated054-540.3-334Ice Auger UseUndated054-540.3-335Ice Fog, Michigan1958054-540.3-336Ice, Water, ArchipelagoUndated054-540.3-337IES Paper: Figures and PhotographsUndated054-540.3-338JAWS (Joint Arctic Weather Stations)1954-55054-540.3-339KFS (Keweenaw Field Station) and CSSL (Central Sierra Snow Laboratory)1946, 1953, 1955-57, 1963054-540.3-3310Lake Meade, Hoover Dam, Navy Evaporation Station1952054-540.3-3311Miscellaneous and/or unidentified1955, 1957054-540.3-3312Navy Sierra Tent Site1952054-540.3-3313Ohio Agricultural Experiment StationUndated054-540.3-3314Penetration RadiometerUndated054-540.3-3315Pole Axe III, Greenland Ice Cap1954054-540.3-3316Radiation Through SnowUndated054-540.3-3317Relay StationUndated054-540.3-3318SastrugiUndated054-540.3-3319SIPRE Snow Project1959, 1962-1964054-540.3-3320Sand Drift FencesUndated054-540.3-3321Shear Vanes1956054-540.3-3322Simulated Snow Towing Basin, EnglandUndated054-540.3-3323Snow Drift Fences1951, 1957054-540.3-3324Snow Drift Patterns from the Air1955054-540.3-3325Snow Drifting, Greenland Ice Cap1955054-540.3-3326Snow Drifting, Houghton1955-56054-540.3-3327Snow Drifting Report1954, 1957054-540.3-3328Snow Drifting Report, Hanover1965054-540.3-3329Snow Drifting, Roscoe and Schuster PhotographsUndated054-540.3-3330Snow Drifting, University of Michigan paperUndated054-540.3-3331Snow House, Site II1956054-540.3-3332Snow Moisture Capacitance Meter1948054-540.3-3333Snow StudiesUndated054-540.3-3334Snow Tractor Tests1956-57054-540.3-3335South Pole Nuclear Reactor Tests1961054-540.3-3336ThuleUndated054-540.3-3337Tractors and TrafficabilityUndated054-540.3-3338Tractors and TrafficabilityUndated054-540.3-3339Trafficability, KFS (Keweenaw Field Station)1954-55054-540.3-3340Transmission of Water Through SnowUndated054-540.3-3341Tuto Sierra, Site II1958054-540.3-3342Weather Modification Experiments1950, 1958-1960054-540.3-3343White Out/Ice Fog1954, 1963054-540.3-3344Willamette1948054-540.3-3Series VI: Artifactsca. 1950s41small wooden case containing snow pressure guage; 5 images showing the snow pressure guage in use, some captioned; reprint, "The Transmission of Water through Snow," by R. W. Gerdel, 1954; Resume, 1965 and other bio, 19751954, 1965, 1975141-70-3cd

these items received as BRPCAP.2006.9