BUYS BALLOT, Christophorus Henricus Diederlcus

(1817–1890)

   Chemist and physicist. After studying mathematics and physics at Utrecht University, Buys Ballot became a lecturer in geology and mineralogy. In 1847, he was appointed professor of mathematics at the same university, and in 1867, he was appointed to the chair of physics. His main research was in the field of meteorology. In 1857, Buys Ballot formulated his “law,” a qualitative statement of the geostrophic wind equation. He also stimulated Dutch participation in the international expedition to the Arctic region in 1882–1883.